Haematologica
-
Quantitation of BCR-ABL mRNA is emerging as the standard of care to monitor the status of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Peripheral blood plasma was analyzed in this study because of previous detection of nucleic acids and proteins from tumor cells in plasma samples. ⋯ Plasma was a reliable source for monitoring BCR-ABL mRNA levels. Minimal residual disease detection from plasma was more sensitive than from cell samples. Our results suggest that absolute levels of BCR-ABL mRNA per unit volume of plasma may reflect tumor load.
-
Bone lesions in multiple myeloma (MM) have been traditionally detected by whole body X-ray (WBXR) survey although magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has become the gold standard for detecting MM involvement of the spine and pelvis. The aim of this study was to compare a new technique, positron emission tomography (PET) with 18F fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) integrated with computed tomography (18F-FDG PET-CT), with MRI and WBXR for baseline assessment of bone disease in MM. ⋯ MRI of the spine and pelvis still remains the gold standard imaging technique for the detection of bone marrow involvement in MM. 18F-FDG PET-CT provides additional and valuable information for the assessment of myeloma bone disease in areas not covered by MRI.
-
The Italian Society of Hematology (SIE) and two affiliate societies (SIES and GITMO) commissioned a project to develop clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). ⋯ We describe the results of a systematic literature review and an explicit approach to consensus techniques which resulted in recommendations for the key therapeutic decisions in patients with CLL.
-
Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Multi-center validation of the transferability of the magnetic resonance T2* technique for the quantification of tissue iron.
The transferability of the T2* technique for measurement of tissue iron between magnetic resonance (MR) scanners is unknown. Heart and liver multi-breath-hold T2* sequences were installed on MR scanners at six different sites. ⋯ Inter-center reproducibility of T2* in heart and liver was 5.0% and 7.1%, with mean absolute differences in T2* of 1.3 ms and 0.45 ms, respectively. The MR multi-breath-hold T2* technique for tissue iron quantification is transferable between scanners with good reproducibility.