The single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography: a new procedure to perform the sentinel node biopsy in patients with head and neck melanoma.
The aim of this study was to define and validate a new technique to detect the sentinel node (SN) in patients treated for head and neck melanoma. In a small series of 23 head and neck melanoma patients, lymphatic mapping was followed by SN biopsy, using in 12 patients a new diagnostic imaging technique, single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography. The procedure is described and the major problems encountered are discussed. The preliminary data show that identification of SN using single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography never failed in 12 patients, and biopsies performed, compared with those in a standard group, took significantly less time (Mann-Whitney test P=0.006). In conclusion, the authors underline the possibility of a wide use for this technique.
Covarelli
Piero
P
Section of General and Oncologic Surgery, Perugia General Hospital, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy. piero.covarelli@med.unipg.it
Tomassini
Gian M
GM
Simonetti
Stefano
S
Messina
Salvatore
S
Cini
Carla
C
Petrina
Adolfo
A
Noya
Giuseppe
G
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000556:secondary; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon / Q000379:methods*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*