[Contribution of radioguided detection and selective biopsy of the sentinel lymph node to staging in 100 patients with cutaneous melanoma].
OBJECTIVE
A selective sentinel node (SN) biopsy appears to be an alternative to conventional lymph node dissection for staging patients with cutaneous melanoma. This study has aimed to analyze our experience in the localization of the sentinel node with a probe detector and lymphoscintigraphy and its utility in the staging of this disease.


METHODS
100 patients, 56 female and 44 male, 51.5 31.5 mean age, diagnosed of cutaneous melanoma were studied. The lymphoscintigraphy was performed in all cases to detect the area of lymphatic drainage after peritumoral intradermal administration of 600 uCi of 99mTc-colloidal sulfur, and planar images were acquired every 10 minutes until activity was detected in these areas. Afterwards, the intraoperative localization of the sentinel node with a probe detector was performed and the selective biopsy of the node was sent to the Pathology Department for its histologic study.


RESULTS
The lymphoscintigraphy study was positive in 99 of the 100 cases and it was identified intraoperatively in 98 cases. The histologic analysis was negative in 78.9% and positive in 21.1% of the nodes.


CONCLUSIONS
Radioisotopic lymphography and intraoperative probe detection are two very useful techniques for locating the sentinel node and staging patients with cutaneous melanoma. Many patients are benefiting from the selective biopsy of the sentinel node because of the decreased post-surgical morbidity and better staging of the cutaneous melanoma.
Bermúdez Morales
M C
MC
Servicio de Medicina Nuclear, Hospital Universitario San Cecilio, Granada, Spain.
Carrasco Sánchez
S
S
González Martín
F
F
Fernández Fernández
B
B
Becerra García
D
D
Serrano Ortega
S
S
Martínez Sampere
J J
JJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007271:Injections, Intradermal; D007430:Intraoperative Care; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000379:methods*; D011379:Prognosis; D011874:Radiometry / Q000295:instrumentation; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy / Q000295:instrumentation; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D025321:Surgery, Computer-Assisted; D013671:Technetium Tc 99m Sulfur Colloid
D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D013671:Technetium Tc 99m Sulfur Colloid
Contribución de la detección radioguiada y biopsia selectiva del Ganglio centinela al estadiaje de 100 pacientes con melanoma cutáneo.