The efficacy of full-lung tomography in the detection of early metastatic disease from melanoma.
In a prospective study, 62 patients with proved melanoma and negative chest radiographs underwent full-lung tomography. Of 109 examinations performed, 12 patients had positive findings on tomography; nine were false-positive and three were true-positive. Of the true-positive examinations, two patients already had widespread metastatic disease and one had an advanced local lesion. Clinical staging and therapy were changed in only one patient as a result of information provided by full-lung tomography. It appears from these results that full-lung tomography is of limited use in detection of metastases from melanoma in the presence of a negative chest radiograph.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000556:secondary; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed