The utility of Tc-99m dextran in the diagnosis and identification of melanoma metastases responsible for protein-losing enteropathy.

Protein-losing enteropathy is an uncommon syndrome of excessive loss of protein via the gastrointestinal mucosa. Tc-99m dextran is a tracer ideally suited for diagnosis and localization. The authors report a case of melanoma mestastases to the small bowel that were causing protein-losing enteropathy. These were diagnosed and localized using Tc-99m dextran, leading to a curative resection.