title: The diagnostic value of adding dynamic scintigraphy to standard delayed planar imaging for sentinel node identification in melanoma patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to compare early dynamic imaging combined with delayed static imaging and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/CT with delayed, planar, static imaging alone for sentinel node (SN) identification in melanoma patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hundred and seven consecutive melanoma patients referred for SN biopsy (SNB) were examined using combined imaging. Secondary interpretation of only the delayed static images was subsequently performed. In 220 patients (72%), complete surgical and pathological information relating to the SNB was available. The number of SNs identified and number of patients with positive SNs were compared between the two interpretations of the imaging studies and, when available, related to pathology data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A slightly higher number of SNs (mean 0.12/patient) was identified when interpreting only delayed static images compared to combined imaging. In a direct patient-to-patient comparison, the number of SN(s) identified on the combined vs static images only showed moderate agreement (kappa value 0.56). In 38 patients (17%), positive SNs were identified by the combined procedure compared to 35 (16%) by static imaging only. Thus by static imaging only, tumour-positive SNs were not identified in 3 of 38 patients (8%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  For SN identification in melanoma patients, dynamic imaging combined with delayed static imaging and SPECT/CT is superior to delayed static imaging only because the latter is more likely to fail to identify SNs containing metastases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Section of Ultrasound X4123, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark. mariekristinanielsen@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Kristina Rue
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.forename: Annette H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Chakera
authors.forename: Birger
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hesse
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Scolyer
authors.forename: Jonathan F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Stretch
authors.forename: John F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: Michael B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.forename: Roger F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Uren
authors.forename: Peter S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Oturai
mesh_terms: D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D064847:Multimodal Imaging; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy / Q000379:methods*; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed