[Computed tomography evaluation of metastasis of cutaneous melanoma].

PURPOSE: To assess the value of Computed Tomography (CT) in the diagnosis and in morphologic characterization of metastatic melanoma.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

The data of total body CT of 124 consecutive patients with melanoma having a Breslow index 1 mm or a positive sentinel lymph node have been retrospectively reviewed.

RESULTS

The CT scan showed loco-regional and/or distant metastases in 36 patients (39%). Ten of these (28%) had metastases only to lymph nodes, whereas 26 patients (72%) had multiple metastases. Nodal, pulmonary, brain, subcutaneous, hepatic, adrenal, bone, gastrointestinal, breast and abdominal wall metastases were detected in 80.6%, 47.2%, 25%, 25%, 16.7%, 13.9%, 11.1%, 5.6%, 5.6% and 2.8% of the patients respectively. All the patients with metastases also had a positive sentinel lymph nodes and/or symptoms of metastatic disease.

CONCLUSIONS

CT fails to reveal any characteristic feature of metastatic melanoma, but it is of value in the diagnosis of loco-regional and distant metastases in III stage disease.