Popliteal lymph node metastasis from malignant melanoma that was identified by using indocyanine green fluorescence

Abstract

We report the case of a 73-year-old man who presented with a painful erosion on his left heel. On the basis of the biopsy results, we made a diagnosis of malignant melanoma. Although no groin or popliteal lymph node was palpable and preoperative positron emission tomography-computed tomography did not show swelling of the groin and popliteal lymph nodes, intraoperative indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence detected the histological involvement of a sentinel lymph node in the popliteal region. Popliteal lymph node metastasis is rare and difficult to correctly diagnose at the first surgery. In our case, popliteal lymph node metastasis was detected by using ICG fluorescence, which may be useful for the early detection of metastasis.[Skin Cancer (Japan) 2017 ; 32 : 95-99]