Positron emission tomography (PET) with ¹⁸ F fluoro-deoxyglucose (FDG) is now an established functional imaging modality predominantly used in the work-up of several neoplastic diseases. It also has several neurological and cardiac applications in routine clinical practice. However, the radiopharmaceutical, ¹⁸ F-FDG, most commonly used for clinical PET studies today is also taken up by inflammatory and infectious cells and it also has a potential role in inflammation imaging in the future. Since this technique provides a map of glucose metabolism in the body, it is extremely important to understand the bio-distribution of FDG in the human body and factors that alter it. Accordingly, the technique used and several patient factors have a significant impact on the quality of images obtained. Hence, it becomes critical to perform this highly sophisticated exam with adequate patient preparation, following an accepted technique and interpret the images with the knowledge of normal and physiologic bio-distribution of FDG in several body organs and tissues. With this objective, this two-series review article will review the current principles and practice of clinical FDG-PET. The first section of this article deals mostly with basic aspects of FDG-PET and PET/CT including properties of FDG, PET instrumentation and technique and normal variants.

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Plagiarism constitutes an action where authors use matter from different publications, usually without referencing them, and try to pass it off as their own work. Plagiarism seems to have increased with the availability of Internet access, simply because so much matter is easily available and it is so easy to copy matter. This appears to be happening across the world and is significantly prevalent in India as well. Recent medical literature suggests that while plagiarism is definitely a punishable offence, there is a deep need to educate writers on the nuances of plagiarism. This article attempts to explain, and illustrate with examples, what kind of writing is considered plagiarism and what is not. We have also touched upon some implications of plagiarism.

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Soft tissue masses have a varied presentation. Though all masses cannot be optimally imaged on USG, its easy availability, real-time capability, and cost-effectiveness, as well as the freedom it provides to examine in any direction, make it an automatic choice as a first-line modality. Though Doppler is an exciting modality, it has its limitations and is not always rewarding. USG is more useful for superficially located masses. The role of USG is to provide information about the extent of the mass, its nature, and its relationship to the surrounding structures. One important aim is to differentiate between a pseudotumor and a true mass lesion. Doppler can provide additional information in selected cases. USG can play a pivotal role in guiding a needle for obtaining a sample for tissue diagnosis. Benign lesions are more common than malignant ones, in day-to-day practice. As with any other musculoskeletal examination, technical expertise and a sound knowledge of musculoskeletal anatomy are important.

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Aims and Objectives: This prospective analysis was carried out to study the utility of Doppler waveform alterations in the diagnosis of unilateral acute renal obstruction and to study the factors affecting Doppler indices. Methods: In this prospective analysis between May 2005 and March 2006, patients presenting to the emergency medical division with symptoms of unilateral acute renal colic underwent Doppler analysis. Obstruction was confirmed by intravenous urography (IVU) or computed tomography (CT) scan. The duration of renal colic and the site and degree of obstruction were recorded. Patients with medical or surgical renal disease were excluded. Results: 40 patients (80 kidneys) satisfying the inclusion criteria were part of this analysis. The mean resistivity Index (RI) in obstructed kidneys was significantly higher than in the contralateral unobstructed kidneys (0.72 Vs 0.64; p < 0.001). Thirty (75%) cases had proximal while 10 (25%) cases had distal obstruction with higher RI in proximal obstruction (0.73 Vs 0.72). Twenty-five (62.5%) patients had complete, while 15 (37.5%) patients had partial obstruction. The RI value in completely obstructed kidneys was significantly higher than in partially obstructed kidneys (0.74 Vs 0.70; p <0.05). Using the discriminatory value of 0.70 for obstruction, the overall sensitivity was 87.5% and specificity 90%. Sensitivity was 95% and specificity 100% at a delta RI of 0.06. The degree of obstruction altered the resistivity indices, while the site of obstruction and duration of symptoms did not. Conclusions: Doppler sonography is a useful diagnostic tool in unilateral acute renal obstruction.

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Advances in high-resolution technology, have had the greatest impact on the use of USG for musculoskeletal imaging. Structures previously considered inaccessible can now be evaluated accurately using this imaging modality. Though MRI still remains the gold standard, USG has now emerged as the initial imaging modality in a large proportion of musculoskeletal disorders. Among the distinct advantages of USG, are the ability to perform a dynamic study to demonstrate the function of the structure under question and to have transverse as well as longitudinal sections. This is now aided by 3D technology, which is becoming popular. USG is more easily available and is cheaper than MRI. Its portablity and the ease with which follow-up examinations can be done are also big assets. There are two major drawbacks with this technique. One is the long learning curve and the other is that there is very little tissue differentiation when it comes to the acoustic properties of various structures. A sound knowledge of musculoskeletal anatomy is a prerequisite.

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