Gallium-67 Scintigraphy in Multisystem Malignant Melanoma

In a prospective study of the value of gallium-67 scintigraphy in cases of multisystem malignant melanoma, 69 scans were obtained for 36 patients. No abnormality was found in 18 scans; in only 3 was there other evidence of disease. Of 54 sites of disease demonstrated by scintigraphy, 40 were correlated with other investigations: biopsy (5), surgery (7), autopsy (7), radiographic (13), or clinical (8). Metastatic melanoma was found in 37 (69%) of the sites; no such disease was found in 3 (5.7%). The life expectancy of patients with an abnormal scan was shorter than that of patients with a normal scan. Gallium studies reliably indicated the extent of multisystem melanoma, and are of value in clinical management.