SPECT/CT for sentinel lymph node mapping in head and neck melanoma.
BACKGROUND
The additional value of single photon emission computed tomography with CT (SPECT/CT) for detection and localization of sentinel nodes in patients with a melanoma of the head and neck was determined.


METHODS
Thirty-eight patients received conventional lymphoscintigraphy followed by hybrid SPECT/CT. The number of sentinel nodes visualized and anatomic information provided were analyzed. Changes in surgical approach due to additional information from the SPECT/CT were evaluated in 20 patients.


RESULTS
SPECT/CT visualized a mean of 2.6 sentinel nodes per patient (range, 1-6). SPECT/CT depicted an additional sentinel node in 16% of the patients and clearly showed the anatomic location of the hot nodes in all patients. The surgical approach was adjusted on the basis of SPECT/CT images in 11 patients (55%).


CONCLUSIONS
SPECT/CT visualizes more sentinel nodes than conventional images and shows their anatomic location. SPECT/CT is recommended in patients with a melanoma in the head or neck.
Vermeeren
Lenka
L
Department of Nuclear Medicine, Netherlands Cancer Institute - Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Hospital, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Valdés Olmos
Renato A
RA
Klop
W Martin C
WM
van der Ploeg
Iris M C
IM
Nieweg
Omgo E
OE
Balm
Alfons J M
AJ
van den Brekel
Michiel W M
MW
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011446:Prospective Studies; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy / Q000379:methods*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon / Q000379:methods*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods; D055815:Young Adult