Background: Coronavirus Disease 2019 has been associated with dysfunction in multiple endocrine organs, including the thyroid gland. While evidence suggests SARS-CoV-2 may influence thyroid function and promote oncogenesis through inflammation and cytokine storms, its role in thyroid cancer remains unclear. This study investigates whether COVID-19 is associated with an increased risk of thyroid cancer development. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the TriNetX global federated health research database, encompassing data from 151 healthcare organizations. Adult patients with confirmed COVID-19 between 1 December 2019 and 31 December 2023, were included and compared to a matched cohort without COVID-19. Patients with prior thyroid cancer history or who had received COVID-19 vaccination were excluded in both groups. Propensity score matching (1:1) was performed for age, gender, and overweight/obesity status. The primary outcome was that new-onset thyroid cancer was diagnosed at least one year after COVID-19 diagnosis. Hazard ratios were calculated using Cox proportional hazards models, and subgroup analyses were performed based on age, gender, thyroid function status and treatment modalities. Results: After matching, a significantly higher thyroid cancer incidence was observed between the post-COVID and non-COVID groups. Subgroup analysis revealed a significantly higher risk of thyroid cancer development following COVID-19 diagnosis in patients who developed hyperthyroidism (HR 2.14, 95% CI: 1.04–4.46) or hypothyroid-ism (HR 1.83, 95% CI: 1.12–2.97) compared with the non-COVID population. Male patients also exhibited a higher risk of thyroid cancer after COVID-19 (HR 1.22, 95% CI 1.02–1.46). For patients with hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism, those who had prior COVID-19 exhibited a relatively higher risk of developing thyroid cancer than those without a history of COVID-19 (HR 4.387, 95% CI: 2.08–9.24 for hyperthyroidism; HR 2.58, 95% CI: 1.58–4.22 for hypothyroidism). Conclusions: Patients with COVID-19 exhibited an increase in thyroid cancer risk, with specific subgroups—male adults and those with post-infectious thyroid dysfunction—also exhibiting increased risk. These findings suggest a potential relationship between SARS-CoV-2 and thyroid oncogenesis, warranting further prospective research.

Background: Lupus nephritis (LN) often lead to end-stage renal disease in systemic lupus erythematosus patients. This study aimed to investigate the clinical application of renal gallium-67 scans for determining renal histological parameters in LN patients. Methods: Between 2006 and 2018, 237 biopsy-proven and 35 repeat biopsies LN patients who underwent renal gallium scans before or after biopsy were included for analysis. The classification and scoring of LN were assessed according to the International Society of Nephrology/Renal Pathology Society. A delayed 48-h gallium scan was performed and interpreted by semiquantitative methods using left kidney/spine (K/S) ratio. The renal histological results were compared with gallium uptake. Results: Out of 237 participants, 180 (76%) had proliferative LN. Baseline gallium left K/S ratio was significantly higher in class IV LN as compared to class III (median (interquartile range, IQR): 1.16 (1.0–1.3), 0.95 (0.9–1.1), respectively, p < 0.001). Furthermore, changes in gallium uptake between two biopsies were positively correlated with changes activity index (r = 0.357, p = 0.035), endocapillary hypercellularity (r = 0.385, p = 0.032), and neutrophils infiltration (r = 0.390, p = 0.030) in renal pathology. Conclusions: Renal gallium uptake is associated with active inflammation in LN. Changes in renal gallium uptake positively correlated with changes in activity index in renal pathology.

The American Journal of Gastroenterology is published by Nature Publishing Group (NPG) on behalf of the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG). Ranked the #1 clinical journal covering gastroenterology and hepatology*, The American Journal of Gastroenterology (AJG) provides practical and professional support for clinicians dealing with the gastroenterological disorders seen most often in patients. Published with practicing clinicians in mind, the journal aims to be easily accessible, organizing its content by topic, both online and in print. www.amjgastro.com, *2007 Journal Citation Report (Thomson Reuters, 2008)

⁸⁹Zr-iPET has been widely used for preclinical and clinical immunotherapy studies to predict patient stratification or evaluate therapeutic efficacy. In this study, we prepared and evaluated ⁸⁹Zr-DFO-anti-PD-L1-mAb tracers with varying chelator-to-antibody ratios (CARs), including ⁸⁹Zr-DFO-anti-PD-L1-mAb_3X (tracer_3X), ⁸⁹Zr-DFO-anti-PD-L1-mAb_10X (tracer_10X), and ⁸⁹Zr-DFO-anti-PD-L1-mAb_20X (tracer_20X). The DFO-anti-PD-L1-mAb conjugates with varying CARs were prepared using a random conjugation method and then subjected to quality control. The conjugates were radiolabeled with ⁸⁹Zr and evaluated in a PD-L1-expressing CT26 tumor-bearing mouse model. Next, iPET imaging, biodistribution, pharmacokinetics, and ex vivo pathological and immunohistochemical examinations were conducted. LC–MS analysis revealed that DFO-anti-PD-L1-mAb conjugates were prepared with CARs ranging from 0.4 to 2.0. Radiochemical purity for all tracer groups was >99% after purification. The specific activity levels of tracer_3X, tracer_10X, and tracer_20X were 2.2 ± 0.6, 8.2 ± 0.6, and 10.5 ± 1.6 μCi/μg, respectively. ⁸⁹Zr-iPET imaging showed evident tumor uptake in all tracer groups and reached the maximum uptake value at 24 h postinjection (p.i.). Biodistribution data at 168 h p.i. revealed that the tumor-to-liver, tumor-to-muscle, and tumor-to-blood uptake ratios for tracer_3X, tracer_10X, and tracer_20X were 0.46 ± 0.14, 0.58 ± 0.33, and 1.54 ± 0.51; 4.7 ± 1.3, 7.1 ± 3.9, and 14.7 ± 1.1; and 13.1 ± 5.8, 19.4 ± 13.8, and 41.3 ± 10.6, respectively. Significant differences were observed between tracer_3X and tracer_20X in the aforementioned uptake ratios at 168 h p.i. The mean residence time and elimination half-life for tracer_3X, tracer_10X, and tracer_20X were 25.4 ± 4.9, 24.2 ± 6.1, and 25.8 ± 3.3 h and 11.8 ± 0.5, 11.1 ± 0.7, and 11.7 ± 0.6 h, respectively. No statistical differences were found between-tracer in the aforementioned pharmacokinetic parameters. In conclusion, ⁸⁹Zr-DFO-anti-PD-L1-mAb tracers with a CAR of 1.4–2.0 may be better at imaging PD-L1 expression in tumors than are traditional low-CAR ⁸⁹Zr-iPET tracers.

In nuclear medicine, simulation-based instruction offers a safer alternative to traditional training, yet no studies have specifically applied virtual reality (VR) to clinical education and training within nuclear medicine departments. This study aimed to investigate whether a VR-based teaching module enhances students’ perceived understanding of myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) procedures and overall learning satisfaction. Methods: Between July and December 2023, we enrolled a group of 19 internship students, who were asked to complete a survey on their learning expectations regarding MPI. Survey analysis revealed that 73.7% of students were unfamiliar with the MPI procedure and 57.9% indicated that they required over 2 h of learning and hands-on practice to achieve proficiency. To address these needs, the research team produced a 10-min simulation video, covering learning objectives, training duration, evaluation criteria, patient education, procedural steps, and key safety considerations. Using the survey results, we designed a teaching video to capture realistic clinical scenes that involved MPIs. After students completed the simulation-based module, they viewed the teaching video and completed a satisfaction survey to evaluate the effectiveness of our teaching. Results: All students agreed that the video length was appropriate, the quiz questions facilitated understanding, and the interactive design supported understanding. Furthermore, 89.5% of students found the contents clear and easy to understand, with an overall mean satisfaction score of 8.95 (of 10 possible points). Conclusion: The VR teaching program for MPI was successful and serves as an effective preparatory resource for students completing nuclear medicine internships. Visual Abstract