Lymphatic drainage of melanomas located on the manubrium sterni to cervical lymph nodes: a case series assessed by SPECT/CT

Clin Nucl Med. 2013 Mar;38(3):e137-9. doi: 10.1097/RLU.0b013e318263903b.

Abstract

The lymphatic drainage of cutaneous melanomas located on the upper trunk is often complex and sometimes follows an unexpected pattern. Occasionally, even direct drainage to cervical lymph nodes is seen. In this case series, 3 patients with lymphatic drainage to the neck derived from melanomas located over the manubrium sterni are described. There appears to be a restricted area that involves the manubrium sterni from which lymphatic drainage to different cervical node basins appears more frequent. SPECT/CT was helpful in visualizing these patterns and for the localization of the sentinel nodes.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Bone Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging*
  • Bone Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lymphatic Metastasis
  • Male
  • Manubrium / diagnostic imaging*
  • Melanoma / diagnostic imaging*
  • Melanoma / pathology*
  • Middle Aged
  • Multimodal Imaging*
  • Neck*
  • Positron-Emission Tomography*
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed*