Adomas Bunevičius

Publications (2)0.85 Total impact

• Article: Introduction of novel semiquantitative evaluation of (99m)Tc-MIBI SPECT before and after treatment of glioma.

  Vytenis Pranas Deltuva, Nemira Jurkienė, Ilona Kulakienė, Adomas Bunevičius, Algimantas Matukevičius, Arimantas Tamašauskas
  [show abstract] [hide abstract]
  ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE. There is a need for objective semiquantitative indexes for the evaluation of results of single-photon emission tomography (SPECT) in patients with brain glioma. The aim of this study was to validate the total size index (TSI) and total intensity index (TII) based on technetium-99m-methoxyisobutylisonitrile ((99m)Tc-MIBI) SPECT scans to discriminate the patients with high-grade glioma versus low-grade glioma and to evaluate the changes of viable glioma tissue by the means of TSI and TII after surgery and after radiation treatment. MATERIAL AND METHODS. Thirty-two patients (mean age, 55 years [SD, 18]; 20 men) underwent a (99m)Tc-MIBI-SPECT scan before surgery. Of these patients, 27 underwent a postoperative (99m)Tc-MIBI-SPECT scan and 7 patients with grade IV glioma underwent a third (99m)Tc-MIBI-SPECT scan after radiation treatment. TII that corresponds to the area and intensity of tracer uptake and TSI that corresponds to the area of tracer uptake were calculated before surgery, after surgery, and after radiation treatment. RESULTS. The TII and TSI were found to be valid in discriminating the patients with high-grade versus low-grade glioma with optimal cutoff values of 3.0 and 2.5, respectively. Glioma grade correlated with the preoperative TSI score (r=0.76, P<0.001) and preoperative TII score (r=0.64, P<0.001). There was a significant decrease in the TII and TSI after surgery in patients with grade IV glioma. After radiation treatment, there was a significant increase in the TII in patients with grade IV glioma. CONCLUSIONS. TSI and TII were found to be reliable in discriminating the patients with high-grade versus low-grade glioma and allowed for the semiquantitative evaluation of change in viable glioma tissue after surgery and after radiation treatment in patients with grade IV glioma.
  Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) 01/2012; 48(1):15-21. · 0.42 Impact Factor
• Article: Evaluation of health-related quality of life in lithuanian brain tumor patients using the EORTC brain cancer module.

  Adomas Bunevičius, Sarūnas Tamašauskas, Arimantas Tamašauskas, Vytenis Deltuva
  [show abstract] [hide abstract]
  ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE. Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is considered an important outcome measure in neuro-oncology. The aim of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the brain cancer-specific Quality of Life Questionnaire (QLQ-BN20) of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) in Lithuanian brain tumor patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS. One hundred consecutive patients (71% of women; mean age, 58±14 years) admitted for elective brain tumor surgery were evaluated for HRQoL using the QLQ-BN20, QLQ-C30 (a core EORTC questionnaire for cancer patients), and SF-36 scale; for motor dysfunction (clinical examination); for cognitive dysfunction (Mini-Mental State Examination); and for disability (Barthel Index). RESULTS. The QLQ-BN20 subscales had an adequate internal consistency (Cronbach α, 0.75-0.90). Motor dysfunction on neurological examination was associated with greater motor dysfunction on the QLQ-BN20; greater disability, with greater future uncertainty, motor dysfunction, communication deficits, headaches, seizures, drowsiness, itchy skin, weakness of legs, and poor bladder control on the QLQ-BN20; and cognitive dysfunction, with greater future uncertainty, visual deficits, motor dysfunction, communication deficits, headaches, drowsiness, and weakness of legs symptoms on the QLQ-BN20, suggesting an adequate clinical validity of the QLQ-BN20. A score for motor dysfunction on the QLQ-BN20 correlated with a score for motor dysfunction on the QLQ-C30 and SF-36 scales; a score for headache on the QLQ-BN20, with a score for pain on the QLQ-C30 and SF-36 scales; and a score for drowsiness symptoms on the QLQ-BN20, with a score for fatigue on the QLQ-C30. CONCLUSIONS. The Lithuanian version of the EORTC-QLQ-BN20 scale has acceptable psychometric properties and can be reliably used for the assessment of HRQoL in brain tumor patients.
  Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) 01/2012; 48(11):588-94. · 0.42 Impact Factor