Heterogeneous patterns of lymphatic drainage to sentinel lymph nodes by primary melanoma from different anatomic sites.
We want to define the patterns of lymphatic drainage for primary melanoma to sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) based on a large lymphoscintigraphic database. Preoperative lymphoscintigraphy was used to identify and classify SLN drainage basins and patterns of drainage.


METHODS
Lymphoscintigraphy using intradermally administered technetium-99m labeled sulfur colloid was performed on 400 consecutive patients with malignant melanoma to define lymphatic drainage channels and draining SLN basins before surgery. Primary tumor sites consisted of head and neck, upper extremity, trunk, and lower extremity. Different types of drainage patterns were classified and correlated with different anatomic sites.


RESULTS
SLN(s) were identified in over 98% of the patients, whereas lymphatic drainage channels were successfully identified in 90% of the patients. Drainage from the primary site to a single SLN through a single lymphatic channel (type IA) was seen in 186 of 400 patients (47%) as the most common type. In patients with a single SLN within a single basin (type I-V), the percentage of patients with primary lesions in the head and neck, upper extremity, trunk, and lower extremity regions were 61%, 79%, 55%, and 78%, respectively. In cases of multiple lymphatic channels (type VI-VII), the percentages of patients with primary lesions in the head and neck, upper extremity, trunk, and lower extremity regions were 24%, 8%, 36%, and 19%, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Various drainage patterns were noted from primary melanomas in different anatomic sites. Preoperative lymphoscintigraphy is important in establishing the SLN basins for harvesting the SLN(s).
Leong
Stanley P L
SP
Department of Surgery, UCSF/Comprehensive Cancer Center at Mount Zion, San Francisco, California 94143-1674, USA. leongs@surgery.ucsf.edu
Morita
Eugene T
ET
Südmeyer
Martin
M
Chang
Jeffrey
J
Shen
David
D
Achtem
Theodore A
TA
Allen
Robert E
RE
Kashani-Sabet
Mohammed
M
D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D008545:Melanoma / Q000145:classification / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000556:secondary*; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy / Q000379:methods*; D013671:Technetium Tc 99m Sulfur Colloid / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*
D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D013671:Technetium Tc 99m Sulfur Colloid