Slow dynamic lymphoscintigraphy is not a reliable predictor of sentinel-node negativity in cutaneous melanoma

Cancer Biother Radiopharm. 2008 Aug;23(4):443-50. doi: 10.1089/cbr.2008.0468.

Abstract

We reviewed data from 160 consecutive patients (89 M/71 F; 53.5 [range, 9-88] years) who had under-gone lymphoscintigraphy and sentinel lymph node biopsy (SNB) in our hospital for histologically proven cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM) (located on the upper limb: 33; lower limb: 57; trunk: 44; and head and neck: 26 patients), with a Breslow index > 1 mm and without clinical or radiologic evidence of metastatic spread. Colloidal (99m)Tc-rhenium sulfide (36-76 MBq) was injected intradermally in the four quadrants around the tumorectomy scar, followed by dynamic acquisition and static imaging. SN(s) were identified in 157 patients (overall identification rate, 98%). Fast (< 20 minutes), intermediate (20-30 minutes), or slow (> 30 minutes) lymphatic drainage was observed, respectively, in 122 (78%), 24 (15%), or 11 (7%) cases. Overall malignancy rate was 15%, respectively found in 19 (16%), 2 (8%), and 2 (18 %) patients with fast, intermediate, or slow drainage. No statistical difference between SN-positivity rates of patients with fast (19/122 = 16%) versus intermediate or slow drainage (4/35 = 11.4%) was observed (p = 0.69). Therefore, lymphoscintigraphic SN appearance time in CMM patients is unable both to predict SN metastasis and spare them from undergoing SN excision.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Child
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lymphatic Metastasis / diagnosis*
  • Lymphography / methods*
  • Male
  • Melanoma / pathology*
  • Middle Aged
  • Radionuclide Imaging / methods*
  • Radiopharmaceuticals
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Rhenium
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy
  • Skin / pathology
  • Skin Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Technetium Tc 99m Sulfur Colloid

Substances

  • Radiopharmaceuticals
  • technetium Tc rhenium-sulfur colloid
  • Technetium Tc 99m Sulfur Colloid
  • Rhenium