title: Role of SPECT-CT in sentinel lymph node biopsy in patients diagnosed with head and neck melanoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Assess the role of SPECT-CT in sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy in the accurate anatomical location of the SNL in patients with cutaneous head and neck melanoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective study was conducted from February 2010 to June 2013 on 22 consecutive patients with a diagnosis of cutaneous head and neck melanoma (9 female, 13 male), with a mean age of 55 years old and who met the inclusion criteria for SLN biopsy. Patients underwent preoperative scanning after peri-scar injection of (99m)Tc-labeled-nanocolloid. Planar images of the injection-site, whole-body, and SPECT-CT scanning were acquired.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Detection rate of SLN reached up to 91% (20/22 patients) by planar lymphoscintigraphy and 95.4% (21/22 patients) by SPECT-CT. SPECT-CT provided an accurate location of SLN in 14/22 patients, enabling to improve the surgical approach (clinical impact: 63.6%). SLN was positive for metastatic cells in 9.1% patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SPECT-CT provides detailed anatomical SLN location and allows detecting a higher number of SLN than planar lymphoscintigraphy. Routine use of SPECT-CT is recommended in order to optimise the SLN detection and location in patients with head and neck melanoma.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Medicina Nuclear, Unidad de Diagnóstico por la Imagen, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío, Sevilla, España. Electronic address: estefania.lr.86@gmail.com.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: López-Rodríguez
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Medicina Nuclear, Unidad de Diagnóstico por la Imagen, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío, Sevilla, España.
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: García-Gómez
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Medicina Nuclear, Unidad de Diagnóstico por la Imagen, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío, Sevilla, España.
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Álvarez-Pérez
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Medicina Nuclear, Unidad de Diagnóstico por la Imagen, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío, Sevilla, España.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Martínez-Castillo
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Medicina Nuclear, Unidad de Diagnóstico por la Imagen, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío, Sevilla, España.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Borrego-Dorado
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Cirugía Plástica General, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío, Sevilla, España.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fernández-Ortega
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Anatomía Patológica, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío, Sevilla, España.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zulueta-Dorado
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007430:Intraoperative Care; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D061305:Lymphoscintigraphy / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011300:Preoperative Care; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000032:analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy / Q000379:methods*; D000072098:Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography Computed Tomography; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D013668:Technetium Tc 99m Aggregated Albumin / Q000032:analysis; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D013668:Technetium Tc 99m Aggregated Albumin; C083602:technetium Tc 99m nanocolloid
keywords: Biopsia selectiva del ganglio centinela; Cabeza y cuello; Head and neck; Melanoma; Sentinel lymph node biopsy; Single photon emission computed Tomography/computed tomography; Tomografia por emisión de fotón Simple/tomografía computadorizada