Computed tomography in evaluation of patients with stage III melanoma.
BACKGROUND
Metastatic disease is detected infrequently by computed tomography (CT) in early stage melanoma. The diagnostic yield of routine CT for stage III melanoma is less established, despite extensive use in clinical practice.


METHODS
Charts from 347 asymptomatic patients with stage III melanoma were reviewed. Findings suggestive of metastatic melanoma identified by head or body CT, chest radiography, bone scan, or liver function studies were confirmed histologically or by progression of disease.


RESULTS
Individual CT scans identified 33/788 (4.2%) instances of metastatic melanoma, with 66/788 (8.4%) false positive studies. No metastases were identified among 104 head CT scans. Chest CT had the highest yield in patients with cervical adenopathy (7/35, 20%), and the lowest yield with groin adenopathy (1/50, 2%). Pelvic CT diagnosed metastases in 7/94 (7.4%) patients with groin adenopathy, but no patients with palpable axillary (n = 76) or cervical (n = 21) nodes. Metastatic melanoma was diagnosed in 11/136 (8.1%) patients having complete body CT imaging (chest, abdomen, and pelvis), including six patients (4.4%) identified by CT alone.


CONCLUSIONS
Routine CT in patients with clinical stage III melanoma infrequently identifies metastatic disease. Head CT in the asymptomatic patient, chest CT in patients with groin adenopathy, and pelvic CT in the presence of axillary or cervical adenopathy are not indicated. Selective use of chest CT in patients with cervical adenopathy or pelvic CT in the presence of groin disease may be useful.
Kuvshinoff
B W
BW
Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10021, USA.
Kurtz
C
C
Coit
D G
DG
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008485:Medical Audit; D008545:Melanoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed / Q000191:economics; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000191:economics