CARTAS/Opinión

 

PET/CT imaging for metastatic choroidal melanoma

Imagen de PET/CT de melanoma coroideo metastásico

 

 

Correspondence

 

 

Dear Director:

The report on «Whole body PET/CT imaging metastatic choroidal melanoma»¹ is very interesting. Rodríguez-Marco et al concluded that «PET/CT is a sensitive tool for the detection and localization of hepatic and extrahepatic metastatic choroidal melanoma»¹. In fact, PET/CT is confirmed for its usefulness in following up choroidal melanoma. Finger et al. noted that «PET/CT imaging may improve upon the conventional methods of screening for detection of metastatic disease in patients initially diagnosed with choroidal melanoma»². Kurli et al also proposed that «same conclusion» as Rodríguez-Marco et al that PET/CT is «is a sensitive tool for the detection and localization of hepatic and extra-hepatic (particularly osseous) metastatic choroidal melanoma»³. However, the limitation of using PET/CT in melanoma is still observed. As noted by Keu and Iagaru, «early stage evaluation of melanoma» is still the challenge that needs further improvement⁴. Finally, the use of whole body PET/CT is limited to detect small metastases⁵. It is suggested to use focused regional PET/CT in those cases suspected for early small metastases⁵.

 

V. Wiwanitkit
Tropical Medicine Departament. Hainan Medical University. Haikon. China

 

References

1. Rodríguez-Marco N, Caicedo-Zamudio C, Solanas-Álava S, Gil-Arnaiz I, Córdoba-Iturriagagoitia A, Andonegui-Navarro J. Whole body PET/CT imaging for detection of metastatic choroidal melanoma. An Sist Sanit Navar 2014; 37: 293-298.         [ Links ]

2. Finger PT, Kurli M, Reddy S, Tena LB, Pavlick AC. Whole body PET/CT for initial staging of choroidal melanoma. Br J Ophthalmol 2005; 89: 1270-1274.         [ Links ]

3. Kurli M, Reddy S, Tena LB, Pavlick AC, Finger PT. Whole body positron emission tomography/computed tomography staging of metastatic choroidal melanoma. Am J Ophthalmol 2005; 140: 193-199.         [ Links ]

4. Keu KV, Iagaru AH. The clinical use of PET/CT in the evaluation of melanoma. Methods Mol Biol 2014; 1102: 553-580.         [ Links ]

5. Mojtahedi A, Solomon SB, Ulaner GA. Focused regional FDG PET/CT detects more osseous metastases than does whole-body PET/CT. Clin Nucl Med 2013; 38: 217-218.         [ Links ]

 

 

Correspondence:
Viroj Wiwanitkit
Tropical Medicine Departament
Hainan Medical University. Haikon. China
E-mail: virojwiwan@hotmail.com

Recepción: 8 de septiembre de 2014
Aceptación definitiva: 9 de octubre de 2014