All clinical trials

F18-FDG is the widely used PET tracer in the routine practice of oncologic disease imaging using the technology of PET-CT. However, FDG-avidity is a characteristic of the individual tumor. There are various types of human malignancies, which are not taking FDG in access. In these cases FDG is not a sensitive tracer of imaging. In search for other tumor PET tracers, C11-Acetate has been shown recently in a few early studies to have a potential value in imaging of non-FDG-avid tumors. The purpose of the current study is to assess the role of 11C-acetate PET in various tumors, which often are not detected by 18F-FDG and were not widely assessed until now.

The goal of this study is to enable the study sponsor to develop a new blood test method for clinicians to accurately predict which individuals with lupus will flare, when the flare will occur, and flare severity. Ultimately such a newly derived test would allow treating physicians to start pre-emptive therapy early, with the goal of achieving remission quickly and with a shorter duration of treatment; identify individuals who will have less severe flares and will thus require less aggressive treatments; or intensify and lengthen treatment for those individuals who will need such therapy. The design of this study is to follow individuals with a known diagnosis of SLE for changes in disease activity during the course of one year of observation. Clinical data and blood and urine samples will be collected at scheduled monthly visits. The clinical data and blood samples will be used for identifying gene expression profile(s) that are associated with increases in SLE disease activity (lupus "flares").

The function of the lower urinary tract is simple - urine storage and voiding. However, despite this simplicity of function, the control of the lower urinary tract is a rather complex, multilevel process (urothelium, detrusor, peripheral nerves, spinal cord and higher cerebral centres) and the mechanisms involved remain poorly elucidated. This study is designed to gain a more in depth understanding of the lower urinary tract function. Using bladder biopsies, tissue staining for characteristic markers present on nerves and other cells will be performed. We hypothesize that certain markers are altered in disease and turn back towards the control level of healthy people or patients with successful medical treatment.

This proposed pilot study is to conduct detailed interviews into the medical, environmental, and family histories The second phase of this study project is to and to collect blood specimen to obtain DNA. The Blood specimen and DNA will be processed by the Rutgers University Cell and DNA Repository (RUCDR) and stored for a second phase of this pilot. The purpose is to rule out Familial Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia (MEN 1), and succinate dehydrogenase complex, subunit D (SDHD), gene inactivation thought to be associated with different types of carcinoid cancer.

To compare mitral valve area in rheumatic mitral valve stenosis with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and conventional transthoracic echocardiography.

Detect the PHOX2B Mutation-confirmed congenital central hypoventilation syndrome

Although patient-ventilator asynchrony is a frequent phenomenon, its course following management is unknown. As the aid of a data recording system, we try to observe the consequence of patient-ventilator asynchrony following management. Our target is aimed at the patients with high asynchronization index ( > 10%) as this group of patients have been shown to have prolonged course in intensive care unit and are also prone to be tracheostomized

Asthma is a major health problem worldwide. The measurement of fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) has been established as a valuable non invasive and simple tool in the diagnosis of asthma and may also act as a useful surrogate inflammatory marker on which to base treatment decisions in asthma management algorithms. The measurement is useful also in other respiratory diseases. Current methods of measuring FENO include on line measurements by heavy duty expensive analyzers which are not widely and easily available. Off line measurements of breath samples which can be analysed later may be a simple solution. We hypothesize tha toff line measurements of NO will be as reliable and valid as those measured on-line

The failure in indwelling epidural catheter for a parturient might cause an anesthetic difficulty. Furthermore, no one can predict the accuracy of needle placement prior to skin puncture with any of landmark-based technique. This may result in multiple trying attempts at needle puncture, pain and discomforts of patients and poor patient satisfaction. The aim of this study was to explore the difference of epidural space between parturient and non-pregnant women by assessing ultrasound image.

The goal of this research study is to learn about quality of life, sexual functioning, and symptoms in women who have undergone abdominal radical trachelectomy for cervical cancer. This is an investigational study. Up to 100 patients will be enrolled in this study. All will be enrolled at MD Anderson.