title: Diagnostic imaging in dermatology: utility of PET-CT in cutaneous melanoma.
abstract: Malignant melanoma accounts for 5% of all malignant skin tumors and its incidence is increasing. In the natural course of melanoma, tumors grow locally and can spread via the lymph system or the blood. Because survival is directly related to the stage of the disease at diagnosis, early detection (secondary prevention) has an impact on prognosis. Positron emission tomography (PET) is a nuclear medicine technique that generates images using molecules labeled with positron-emitting isotopes. The most widely used molecule is fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG). Because of the elevated glycolytic rate in tumor cells, which results in increased FDG uptake, greater quantities of FDG become trapped in tumor cells, enabling external detection. Today, most PET scanners are multimodal PET-computed tomography (CT) scanners, which provide more detailed information by combining morphological information with functional PET findings. The possible utility of PET-CT in patients with malignant melanoma is a subject of debate. Various questions have been raised: when the scan should be performed, whether PET-CT has advantages over conventional diagnostic methods, and whether PET-CT provides a real benefit to patients. In this review of the literature, we will analyze each of these questions.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Medicina Nuclear, Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves, Granada, España.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sánchez-Sánchez
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Dermatología, HARE Guadix, Granada, España. Electronic address: serranofalcon@gmail.com.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Serrano-Falcón
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Medicina Nuclear, Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves, Granada, España.
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Rebollo Aguirre
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008545:Melanoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D000072078:Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D000096142:Cutaneous Malignant Melanoma
keywords: 18-Flúor-fluorodeoxiglucosa; Cutaneous melanoma; Fluorodeoxyglucose; Melanoma cutáneo; Positron emission tomography; Positron emission tomography-computed tomography; Tomografía por emisión de positrones; Tomografía por emisión de positrones-tomografía computarizada