REVIEWS  IMAGING IN DERMATOLOGY 

Giornale Italiano di Dermatologia e Venereologia 2015 October;150(5):595-601

Copyright © 2015 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

High frequency ultrasonography: a complementary diagnostic method in evaluation of primary cutaneous melanoma

Maj M. ^{1, 2}, Warszawik-Hendzel O. ¹, Szymanska E. ³, Walecka I. ³, Rakowska A. ¹, Antczak-Marczak M. ⁴, Kuna P. ⁴, Kruszewski J. ², Nasierowska-Guttmejer A. ⁵, Litniewski J. ⁶, Nowicki A. ⁷, Olszewska M. ¹, Rudnicka L. ^{1, 8} ✉

¹ Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland; ² Department of Infectious Diseases and Allergology, Military Institute of Medicine, Warsaw, Poland; ³ Department of Dermatology, Central Clinical Hospital MSW, Warsaw, Poland; ⁴ Department of Internal Medicine, Asthma and Allergy, Norbert Barlicki Memorial, University Hospital No 1 in Lodz, Medical University of Lodz, Poland; ⁵ Department of Pathomorphology, Central Clinical Hospital MSW, Warsaw, Poland; ⁶ Institute of Fundamental Technological Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland; ⁷ Department of Ultrasound, Institute of Fundamental Technological Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland; ⁸ Department of Neuropeptides, Mossakowski Medical Research Centre, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland

AIM: The aim of our study was to assess the usefulness of high frequency ultrasonography in the diagnosis of melanoma.
METHODS: We examined 84 patients with suspicious melanocytic skin lesions, including 19 cases of melanoma. In vivo high-resolution ultrasonography (30 MHz) was performed prior to excision.
RESULTS: In ultrasound scans early melanomas presented as flat oval or fusiform shaped structures and were clearly demarcated, while advanced melanomas were characterized by a roundish shape with less distinct borders. The ultrasonographic thickness of in situ melanomas ranged from 0.02 to 0.85 mm. In the case of invasive tumors, the mean thickness evaluated by high frequency ultrasonography was 10.7% higher compared to the Breslow Score (1.44±0.8 mm and 1.3±0.88 mm, respectively). In all melanomas of Breslow Score of 1 mm or more ultrasound also indicated a Breslow Score of 1 mm or more.
CONCLUSION: High frequency ultrasound examination has limited value in differential diagnosis of melanoma, but it gives a clear picture of the size and depth of the tumor. The method should be used as a complementary method (after dermoscopy and, where applicable, reflectance confocal microscopy) in preoperative evaluation of the tumor. In some cases of locally advanced melanoma, ultrasound examination may allow to reduce the number of surgical procedures and favor the decision of a one-time surgical treatment (removal of primary tumor and sentinel lymph node biopsy at the same time).