Clinical impact of (18)F-FDG PET-CT in recurrent stage III/IV melanoma: a tertiary centre Specialist Skin Cancer Multidisciplinary Team (SSMDT) experience

TY - JOUR

T1 - Clinical impact of (18)F-FDG PET-CT in recurrent stage III/IV melanoma

T2 - a tertiary centre Specialist Skin Cancer Multidisciplinary Team (SSMDT) experience

AU - Subesinghe, Manil

AU - Marples, Maria

AU - Scarsbrook, Andrew F

AU - Smith, Jonathan T

PY - 2013/10

Y1 - 2013/10

N2 - OBJECTIVES: To assess the clinical impact of (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography-computed tomography (FDG PET-CT) compared with contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) in patients referred via the Specialist Skin Cancer Multidisciplinary Team (SSMDT) with recurrent stage III/IV malignant melanoma (MM).METHODS: Forty-five patients were referred for further evaluation with FDG PET-CT. Findings on FDG PET-CT were compared with prior CECT and the clinical impact on subsequent management decisions was determined retrospectively. A major clinical impact was defined as a change in treatment plan resulting from identification of additional sites of disease or by characterisation of indeterminate findings on prior imaging. A minor impact was defined as confirmation of known sites of disease as identified on prior CECT.RESULTS: Fifty-one PET-CT examinations were performed. FDG PET-CT had a major clinical impact in 21 cases (41.2 %), of which 18 examinations were performed in patients with proven or suspected stage IV MM. FDG PET-CT had a minor impact in 23 cases (45.1 %), and there were five false-positive cases (9.8 %) and two false-negative cases (3.9 %).CONCLUSION: FDG PET-CT is an effective tool in recurrent stage III/IV MM with a significant clinical impact on management decisions in patients who are appropriately referred via the highly specialised forum of the SSMDT.KEY POINTS: • FDG PET-CT is an effective tool in recurrent stage III/IV malignant melanoma. • FDG PET-CT has a significant clinical impact on management decisions. • Effective use of FDG PET-CT is via referral from the Specialist Skin Cancer Multidisciplinary Team.

AB - OBJECTIVES: To assess the clinical impact of (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography-computed tomography (FDG PET-CT) compared with contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) in patients referred via the Specialist Skin Cancer Multidisciplinary Team (SSMDT) with recurrent stage III/IV malignant melanoma (MM).METHODS: Forty-five patients were referred for further evaluation with FDG PET-CT. Findings on FDG PET-CT were compared with prior CECT and the clinical impact on subsequent management decisions was determined retrospectively. A major clinical impact was defined as a change in treatment plan resulting from identification of additional sites of disease or by characterisation of indeterminate findings on prior imaging. A minor impact was defined as confirmation of known sites of disease as identified on prior CECT.RESULTS: Fifty-one PET-CT examinations were performed. FDG PET-CT had a major clinical impact in 21 cases (41.2 %), of which 18 examinations were performed in patients with proven or suspected stage IV MM. FDG PET-CT had a minor impact in 23 cases (45.1 %), and there were five false-positive cases (9.8 %) and two false-negative cases (3.9 %).CONCLUSION: FDG PET-CT is an effective tool in recurrent stage III/IV MM with a significant clinical impact on management decisions in patients who are appropriately referred via the highly specialised forum of the SSMDT.KEY POINTS: • FDG PET-CT is an effective tool in recurrent stage III/IV malignant melanoma. • FDG PET-CT has a significant clinical impact on management decisions. • Effective use of FDG PET-CT is via referral from the Specialist Skin Cancer Multidisciplinary Team.

KW - Journal Article

U2 - 10.1007/s13244-013-0285-1

DO - 10.1007/s13244-013-0285-1

M3 - Article

C2 - 24018755

SN - 1869-4101

VL - 4

SP - 701

EP - 709

JO - Insights into imaging

JF - Insights into imaging

IS - 5

ER -