title: Metastatic melanoma causing complete atrioventricular block--the role of FDG PET/CT in diagnosis.
abstract: Cardiac involvement with melanoma is not uncommon, but only a few are reported to have antemortem diagnosis. Here, we report a case of a patient with melanoma causing complete atrioventricular block, which is a rare complication of this condition. The patient had multiple metastatic lesions from melanoma and had undergone multiple surgeries and later developed asystole which was treated with a pacemaker. Echocardiogram was performed but no metastatic lesion suggested or detected. Cardiac metastasis was not suspected until 5 months later when the patient underwent a FDG PET/CT for a whole-body evaluation which was interpreted to be suspicious for metastasis to the myocardium. This was confirmed by a repeat myocardial FDG PET scan. In this case report, the role of FDG PET in melanoma patients with cardiac involvement is discussed.
authors: Division of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Radiology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Spruce St., Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. gangcheng99@yahoo.com
authors: Gang
authors: G
authors: Cheng
authors: Andrew B
authors: AB
authors: Newberg
authors: Abass
authors: A
authors: Alavi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D054537:Atrioventricular Block / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D008545:Melanoma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000556:secondary; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D035441:Thoracic Wall / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D051598:Whole Body Imaging
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18