The Role of Fluorine-18-Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography (¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT) in Staging and Treatment Response Assessment of Metastatic Melanoma: A Case Report

Melanoma is a malignant neoplasm with an increasing incidence in the last few years. It has a great metastatic capacity with an unpredictable pattern of spread. For evaluating the extent of the disease and identifying and locating metastases, fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) combined with computed tomography (CT) should be considered mandatory at baseline for tumor assessment before the start of immunotherapy. This report describes the case of a 53-year-old male diagnosed with stage IV malignant melanoma presenting with multiple metastatic lesions who underwent immuno- and radiotherapy. It acknowledges the relevant role of FDG PET/CT in the staging and assessment of progress and response to treatment in patients with melanoma, due to the combination of metabolic (PET) and anatomical (CT) images.