title: Clinically misinterpreted melanoma metastases can correctly be diagnosed by ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration cytology.
abstract: Ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration cytology (US-guided FNAC) of regional nodal basins is increasingly incorporated into the national follow-up schemes of high risk melanoma patients. In this paper we describe an additional added value of US-guided FNAC in the detection and verification of subcutaneous/in-transit metastases. A patient presented with a long lasting, smooth, movable node, close to the scar of the primary melanoma, mimicking a lipoma in every clinical follow-up. Ultrasound at once suspected a metastasis. FNAC was performed within one day of sampling in an outpatient setting, without side effects. A hypothesis of an auto-vaccination in this case could not be proven by examining the T-cell response. Despite the clinically benign aspect of this metastasis, US-guided FNAC can provide diagnosis within 1 day. FNAC is a rapid, cost-effective method, free of complications, of great value in the diagnosis of putative metastases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Venerology and Allergology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Gregor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schaefer-Hesterberg
authors.forename: Alexander J C Van
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Akkooi
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Letsch
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Roewert
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Blume-Peytavi
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Keilholz
authors.forename: Christiane
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Voit
mesh_terms: D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle / Q000379:methods*; D004550:Elbow; D006801:Humans; D008067:Lipoma / Q000473:pathology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D018328:Melanoma, Amelanotic / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D012983:Soft Tissue Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D025321:Surgery, Computer-Assisted; D014463:Ultrasonography