PET was more sensitive than CT for detecting MCC metastases to regional nodes.
Patients with Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) often develop distant metastatic disease. Because baseline scans are typically negative even in patients who ultimately develop metastases, consensus guidelines do not recommend total-body imaging for patients with small tumors and clinically negative nodes. For patients with less-favorable risk profiles, the best imaging modality is unclear. Positron emission tomography (PET) costs more than computed tomography (CT) but might be superior. Investigators compared the effectiveness of several imaging modalities for detecting metastases in MCC patients who also underwent histologic nodal evaluation. Although the focus of this study was nodal metastases, the relative sensitivity of these modalities for …