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Melanoma Imaging Studies

If your physician suspects that your melanoma has spread beyond your lymph nodes, more testing is necessary to determine your exact Stage and treatment options. These studies may detect unsuspected metastases (spread). Almost any organ can be affected. Many times the melanoma will spread to the lung, bone, liver, or brain. Imaging studies represent a major part of the staging work-up and follow-up of melanoma patients. In most cases, imaging studies are not indicated for Stage I or II when no lymph nodes are felt or the patient has no symptoms. A baseline chest x-ray and blood work including a LDH (Lactate dehydrogenase), liver function tests and complete blood count might be ordered.

CT Scan (Computed Tomography). Depending on your symptoms, the location of your primary lesion and/or the lymph node basin that tested positive for a spread of the melanoma cells, your physician might order a CT Scan of the neck, thorax, abdomen and pelvis.

MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging). Unlike x-rays and CT scans, which use radiation, MRI uses powerful magnets and radio waves to construct an image. A MRI is useful for melanoma staging and may be required to detect additional distant metastases, particularly in the brain or spinal cord.

PET Scan (Positron Emission Tomography). A PET is an imaging test that uses a radioactive substance to look for disease in the body. Unlike MRI and CT scans, which reveal the structure of organs, a PET scan shows how the organs and tissues are functioning. The PET Scan is an important cancer imaging tool, both for diagnosis and staging. It is considered more sensitive than a CT scan for seeing the small tumors typical of metastatic melanoma. However, there can be false positives results with Pet Scans. A false positive result is a result that is erroneously positive when a situation is normal. Certainly this can lead to increased anxiety and further unnecessary testing.

Information on this page has been cited from the Melanoma Research Foundation (www.melanoma.org) - 2011