Early Detection of Melanoma Metastasis Using Fludeoxyglucose F 18 Positron Emission Tomography

Role of PET in the Initial Staging of Cutaneous Malignant Melanoma: Systematic Review

“…Of these 51 articles, 28 (34-61) fulfilled all inclusion criteria and contained enough raw data to calculate 34 contingency tables (Fig 1). The remaining 23 studies were excluded because the inclusion criteria were not met (62)(63)(64)(65)(66)(67)(68)(69)(70), data necessary to calculate sensitivity and specificity were not provided (71)(72)(73)(74)(75)(76)(77)(78)(79)(80), or there were possible overlapping study populations (81)(82)(83)(84).…”

Primary cutaneous malignant melanoma and its precursor lesions: Diagnostic and therapeutic overview

“…One of these, positron emission tomography is based on the premise that malignant tumors have a higher metabolic rate than normal tissue and therefore utilize more glucose. 62,63 The goal of positron emission tomography is to be Kanzler and Mraz-Gernhard 267 J AM ACAD DERMATOL VOLUME 45, NUMBER 2 able to screen the entire body for occult metastases. Early reports have suggested that metastases may be detectable up to 6 months earlier than by physical examination or conventional imaging.…”

Abdominal Pain in a Patient with Melanoma

“…At present, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has not been used as extensively as CT for the evaluation of metastatic melanoma to the GI tract 9 . Some authors now advocate whole‐body positron emission tomography (PET scan) in addition to the intraluminal contrast and CT studies to further help delineate metastatic disease 10,13 . However, routine clinical application is extremely limited because it is performed only at several major medical centers 13 …”

“…'~,'~ However, routine clinical application is extremely limited because it is performed only at several major medical centers. 13 Although the long-term survival of systemic melanoma is poor, the most significant indicator for prolongation of life in patients with systemic metastasis is tlie surgical resectability of such 1esi0ns.l~ In patients with symptomatic GI tract involvement surgical intervention can improve the quality of life.3 However, diagnosis is often delayed until the patient becomes emergently ill from a complication of the meta~tasis.4"~ Ricaniadis et a17 obtained a 27.6-month median survival time after complete resection of GI melanoma metastasis, if no other evidence of dissemination was present at the time of surgery. Their 5-year survival rate was 28.3%.…”