MALIGNANT-MELANOMA STAGING USING WHOLE-BODY POSITRON-EMISSION-TOMOGRAPHY

The correct staging of potentially metastatic melanoma is essential fo r an appropriate therapeutic attitude. Current methods include compute d tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasonography and scintigr aphy. Another tool is whole-body positron tomography using the radioph armaceutical 2-fluorine-18-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose as an emitter beca use it accumulates inside neoplasms, especially melanoma. We report tw o cases of malignant melanoma in which computed tomography and magneti c resonance imaging suggested visceral metastatic spread. In contrast, whole-body positron emission tomography indicated the absence of meta stases, and this was confirmed by histological examination of the orga ns where metastases were suspected. Whole-body positron emission tomog raphy appears to have high specificity and sensitivity for clinical me lanoma staging. (C) 1998 Rapid Science Ltd.