[The detection of early regional metastases in patients with skin melanoma by dopplerography].

Color Doppler mapping (CDM) of the regional lymph nodes was performed in 152 patients with primary skin melanoma without clinically determined regional and distant metastases. The patients were divided into 2 groups. The first group included 52 patients in whom biopsy was fulfilled after sonography and CDM of the regional lymph nodes. The second group (control) included 100 patients. After sonography and CDM biopsy of the lymph nodes was not fulfilled. Using CDM of the regional lymph nodes in the preoperative period allowed unjustified lymphadenectomies in patients with skin melanoma to be avoided. An algorithm of preoperative diagnosis of the degree of regional spreading of skin melanoma was developed which will give better results of treatment. The method of color Doppler mapping was first used for the detection of micrometastases of the tumor in the regional lymph system.