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Impact of 2-Deoxy-2[F-18]Fluoro-d-Glucose Positron Emission Tomography on the Management of Patients with Advanced Melanoma

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Abstract

Objectives

Accurate staging of patients with melanoma is vital to guide appropriate treatment. 2-Deoxy-2-[F-18]fluoro-d-glucose (FDG)-positron emission tomography (PET) has been reported to be a sensitive and specific technique for the staging of advanced melanoma, however, few studies provide information regarding its impact on patient management.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed the FDG-PET scan results of 92 patients with melanoma who had 126 scans performed over a six-year period. These patients were seen at the specialist melanoma clinic at our Institution, and 84 patients (92%) had stage III or IV disease. FDG-PET scan results were correlated with computed tomography (CT) scans and other imaging when available, and with clinical follow-up of a minimum of three to six months. The impact of FDG-PET scans on patient management was also assessed.

Results

On a lesion-by-lesion analysis, FDG-PET had a sensitivity of 92%, a specificity of 88%, and an accuracy of 91%. FDG-PET correctly affected the clinical decision-making process in 40 of 126 patient studies (32%), particularly assisting in the selection of patients for surgery.

Conclusion

FDG-PET has an important role in guiding the management of patients with advanced melanoma, particularly when surgery is contemplated.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Positron Emission Tomography, Austin Hospital, Studley Road, Heidelberg, Victoria, 3084, Australia

    Marion T. Harris FRACP, Salvatore U. Berlangieri FRACP & Andrew M. Scott FRACP

  2. Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Austin Hospital, Studley Road, Heidelberg, Victoria, 3084, Australia

    Marion T. Harris FRACP, Salvatore U. Berlangieri FRACP, Jonathan S. Cebon FRACP, Ian D. Davis FRACP & Andrew M. Scott FRACP

  3. Department of Medicine, Austin Hospital, University of Melbourne, Studley Road, Heidelberg, Victoria, 3084, Australia

    Jonathan S. Cebon FRACP, Ian D. Davis FRACP & Andrew M. Scott FRACP

Authors
  1. Marion T. Harris FRACP
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  2. Salvatore U. Berlangieri FRACP
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  3. Jonathan S. Cebon FRACP
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  4. Ian D. Davis FRACP
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  5. Andrew M. Scott FRACP
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Andrew M. Scott FRACP.

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Harris, M.T., Berlangieri, S.U., Cebon, J.S. et al. Impact of 2-Deoxy-2[F-18]Fluoro-d-Glucose Positron Emission Tomography on the Management of Patients with Advanced Melanoma. Mol Imaging Biol 7, 304–308 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11307-005-0002-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11307-005-0002-7

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