[Ultrasonographic and power Doppler appearance of locoregional metastases from cutaneous melanoma].
OBJECTIVE
To describe the morphological and vascular ultrasound findings of cutaneous melanoma locoregional metastasis, both in lymph nodes and in superficial soft tissues. To see if detection of these findings allows a sure diagnosis.


METHODS
The morphological aspects of melanoma metastasis were evaluated with high-resolution ultrasound, and vascularisation by power color, by means the malignancy criteria previously described.


RESULTS
71 loco-regional metastasis were found, in 32 patients: 15 lymph node metastases (21.2%) and 56 soft tissues metastases (78.8%). All of them were histologic confirmation. In 19 cases metastasis were not detected by clinical evaluation. The lymph node metastasis had: low echogenicity (100%) with heterogeneous texture (66.7%); absence of echogenic hilus (93.3%); a ratio between longitudinal and transverse diameters<2 in most cases (86.2%); and peripheral or mixed vascularisation (86.6%). A statistic signification (p=0.049) was proved between L/T ratio and vascularisation type. Soft tissues metastases presented: a maximal diameter between 3-27 mm (mean: 6.91); oval or round shape, sometimes lobulate; well-defined margins (100%); low echogenicity (100%); heterogeneous texture (64.3%); and they showed vascularisation even in the smallest lesions (<5 mm). A statistic signification (p=0.006) was proved between the size and the vascularisation degree.


CONCLUSIONS
US findings allow a suspicion diagnosis of melanoma locoregional metastasis even when metastasis was not detected in physical exam.
Calvo López
M J
MJ
Servicio de Radiología, Hospital Universitario Puerta del Mar, Cádiz, Spain. M.J.CALVO@telefonica.net
Vallejos Roca
E
E
Muñoz Alcántara
I
I
Navarro Díaz
F
F
García Palacios
M V
MV
D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008545:Melanoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000556:secondary*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D012983:Soft Tissue Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000556:secondary*; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler