[Diagnosis of metastasis of malignant melanoma in the thyroid gland with f18-FDG PET scan]

Hautarzt. 2002 May;53(5):332-3. doi: 10.1007/s001050100264.
[Article in German]

Abstract

Metastases in the thyroid gland are very rare. When they occur, long-term survival is dismal; thus an early diagnosis is critical. Malignant melanoma is one of the tumors which may metastasize to the thyroid gland. Therefore we wanted to demonstrate F18-Fluorodeoxyglucose-Positron emission tomography (F18-FDG-PET) is a sensitive and reliable method to identify such metastases. We report about a 51-year-old man, who had an inguinal lymph node metastasis of a malignant melanoma with unknown primary tumor site. He came to us for an a follow-up F18-FDG-PET investigation. In the PET there was a pathologic FDG-uptake in the left lobe of the thyroid gland. The nodule was removed and showed a malignant melanoma metastasis. This unusual scenario underscores the value of the PET in the oncologic follow-up of patients with malignant melanoma.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Melanoma / diagnostic imaging
  • Melanoma / secondary*
  • Middle Aged
  • Skin Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging*
  • Thyroid Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
  • Thyroid Neoplasms / secondary*
  • Tomography, Emission-Computed*

Substances

  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18