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Annals of Surgical Oncology
Published in: Annals of Surgical Oncology 3/2012

01-03-2012 | Melanomas

The Additional Value of Lymphatic Mapping with Routine SPECT/CT in Unselected Patients with Clinically Localized Melanoma

Authors: Hidde J. Veenstra, MD, Lenka Vermeeren, MD, PhD, Renato A. Valdés Olmos, PhD, MD, Omgo E. Nieweg, MD, PhD

Published in: Annals of Surgical Oncology | Issue 3/2012

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Abstract

Purpose

To investigate whether single photon emission computed tomography camera with integrated radiographic computed tomography (SPECT/CT) is of additional value compared to conventional lymphoscintigraphy in routine lymphatic mapping in patients with melanoma.

Methods

Thirty-five unselected patients with a primary melanoma who were scheduled for wide local excision and sentinel node biopsy underwent conventional lymphoscintigraphy and subsequently SPECT/CT. We determined whether SPECT/CT showed additional sentinel nodes, whether it provided better information on the location of the sentinel nodes, and whether this additional anatomic information led to a change in the planned surgical approach.

Results

SPECT/CT depicted the same 69 sentinel nodes as conventional lymphoscintigraphy in all 35 patients plus found eight additional sentinel nodes in seven patients (20%). In two of these patients (5.7%), an additional nodal basin had to be explored to find the extra sentinel nodes. SPECT/CT provided additional anatomic information that was helpful to the surgeon in 11 patients (31%) and led to an adjustment of the surgical approach in 10 patients (29%).

Conclusions

SPECT/CT provided relevant additional information in 16 (46%) of the 35 patients. Routine use of SPECT/CT in addition to conventional lymphoscintigraphy is recommended in melanoma patients undergoing lymphatic mapping.
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Metadata
Title
The Additional Value of Lymphatic Mapping with Routine SPECT/CT in Unselected Patients with Clinically Localized Melanoma
Authors
Hidde J. Veenstra, MD
Lenka Vermeeren, MD, PhD
Renato A. Valdés Olmos, PhD, MD
Omgo E. Nieweg, MD, PhD
Publication date
01-03-2012
Publisher
Springer-Verlag
Published in
Annals of Surgical Oncology / Issue 3/2012
Print ISSN: 1068-9265
Electronic ISSN: 1534-4681
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-011-2031-6

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