Malignant amelanotic melanoma--a diagnostic surprise: Flurodeoxyglocose Positron Emission Tomography-Computed Tomography and immunohistochemistry clinch the 'final diagnosis'

J Cancer Res Ther. 2012 Jul-Sep;8(3):451-3. doi: 10.4103/0973-1482.103533.

Abstract

Amelanotic melanoma is a rare malignancy and the prognosis is usually poorer than that of pigmented melanomas, because of delay in establishing the correct diagnosis, and in treatment initiation. In our case report, we present a the Flurodeoxyglocose Positron Emission Tomography-Computed Tomography (FDG PET/CT) findings of a patient suffering from malignant amelanotic melanoma and its histopathological confirmation and immunohistochemistry (IHC) correlation In the described case, amelanotic melanoma masqueraded as adenocarcinoma of the rectum in the pathology as well the clinical course. Our case highlights the importance of obtaining a tissue diagnosis and IHC confirmation whenever unusual PET/CT findings are encountered.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adenocarcinoma / diagnosis
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry / methods*
  • Liver Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Liver Neoplasms / secondary
  • Male
  • Melanoma, Amelanotic / diagnosis*
  • Melanoma, Amelanotic / diagnostic imaging
  • Melanoma, Amelanotic / surgery
  • Middle Aged
  • Multimodal Imaging / methods*
  • Positron-Emission Tomography*
  • Radiopharmaceuticals
  • Skin / pathology
  • Skin Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Skin Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
  • Skin Neoplasms / surgery
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed*

Substances

  • Radiopharmaceuticals
  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18