title: EANM practice guidelines for lymphoscintigraphy and sentinel lymph node biopsy in melanoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Sentinel lymph node biopsy is an essential staging tool in patients with clinically localized melanoma. The harvesting of a sentinel lymph node entails a sequence of procedures with participation of specialists in nuclear medicine, radiology, surgery and pathology. The aim of this document is to provide guidelines for nuclear medicine physicians performing lymphoscintigraphy for sentinel lymph node detection in patients with melanoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  These practice guidelines were written and have been approved by the European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM) to promote high-quality lymphoscintigraphy. The final result has been discussed by distinguished experts from the EANM Oncology Committee, national nuclear medicine societies, the European Society of Surgical Oncology (ESSO) and the European Association for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) melanoma group. The document has been endorsed by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present practice guidelines will help nuclear medicine practitioners play their essential role in providing high-quality lymphatic mapping for the care of melanoma patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Universitätsklinikum Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bluemel
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Universitätsklinikum Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Herrmann
authors.affiliation: Médecine Nucléaire, Hospices Civils de Lyon and EA 3738, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Lyon, France.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Giammarile
authors.affiliation: Melanoma Institute Australia, The Poche Centre, North Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Omgo E
authors.initials: OE
authors.lastname: Nieweg
authors.affiliation: Médecine Nucléaire, Hospices Civils de Lyon and EA 3738, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Lyon, France.
authors.forename: Julien
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dubreuil
authors.affiliation: European Institute of Oncology, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Testori
authors.affiliation: St Helens Teaching Hospital, University of Liverpool, St Helens, UK.
authors.forename: Riccardo A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Audisio
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Oncology, University Hospital of Heraklion, Heraklion, Greece.
authors.forename: Odysseas
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Zoras
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Universitätsklinikum Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lassmann
authors.affiliation: Melanoma Institute Australia, The Poche Centre, North Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Annette H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Chakera
authors.affiliation: Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.|Alfred Nuclear Medicine and Ultrasound, RPAH Medical Centre, Newtown, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Uren
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, PET/CT Centre, Radiology, NeuroRadiology, Medical Physics, 'Santa Maria della Misericordia' Hospital, Rovigo, Italy.
authors.forename: Sotirios
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chondrogiannis
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Patrick M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Colletti
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, PET/CT Centre, Radiology, NeuroRadiology, Medical Physics, 'Santa Maria della Misericordia' Hospital, Rovigo, Italy. domenico.rubello@libero.it.
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rubello
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007267:Injections; D061305:Lymphoscintigraphy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D008545:Melanoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011247:Pregnancy; D011850:Radioactive Waste; D011874:Radiometry; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012449:Safety; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D012955:Societies, Medical
chemical_list: D011850:Radioactive Waste; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals