title: The role of preoperative positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in patients with high-risk melanoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) scanning is commonly used for the preoperative staging of patients with at least intermediate thickness (>1 mm) melanomas. Its role in staging at initial diagnosis for clinically asymptomatic patients is not yet established.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined records of all patients receiving an operation for at least an intermediate thickness melanoma from June 2005 to June 2011. Results of preoperative PET/CT scans were evaluated in asymptomatic patients with a negative physical exam. Outcome measures included changes in clinical management, as well as incidence of true- and false-positives.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PET/CT scans were performed for 149 patients with at least an intermediate thickness melanoma. Positive scans were identified in 28% (41/149) of patients. An invasive procedure to further aid in diagnosis was performed in 44% (18), yet only 6 (15%) patients were diagnosed with metastatic cancer (85% false positive rate). Each of these patients had regional disease subsequently diagnosed by a sentinel lymph node biopsy. No distant metastatic disease was identified.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Preoperative PET/CT in asymptomatic patients is of limited benefit in staging asymptomatic melanoma patients with at least an intermediate thickness melanoma and may lead to unnecessary invasive procedures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode, Island.
authors.forename: Maya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barsky
authors.forename: Leonid
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cherkassky
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vezeridis
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Miner
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*
keywords: prognosis; sentinel lymph node; staging