Evaluation of the clinical usefulness of high-frequency ultrasonography in pre-operative evaluation of cutaneous melanoma – a prospective study

Introduction
There are many papers in the available literature on the pre-operative evaluation of malignant melanoma (MM) using a 20 MHz probe. In many Western European countries, this examination is standard in the diagnosis of such lesions in terms of the resection margin. However, few papers describe and compare the results of melanoma thickness measurements using 20 and 50 MHz frequency probes.

Aim
The aim of the study was to evaluate the thickness of melanoma using 20 and 50 MHz probes. In addition, the obtained values were evaluated in comparison to the thickness values obtained in the histopathological examination.

Material and methods
Melanoma malignum was confirmed histopathologically in 19 out of 72 patients. Then only those 19 patients were enrolled in the study.

Results
A correlation was demonstrated between the thickness of the melanoma measured with the 20 and 50 MHz probes, expressed in mm, and the thickness obtained in the histopathological examination expressed in millimeters (Breslow’s scale). It was 0.759 (p < 0.001) and 0.734 (p < 0.001), respectively. The average thickness of melanomas obtained in ultrasound examination was identical for both probes and was 0.74 mm.

Conclusions
It seems that both types of probes can be used to assess melanoma thickness. The demonstrated correlation of high-frequency ultrasonography (HFUS) thickness with Breslow’s scale indicates that the HFUS evaluation can be used in determination of melanoma resection margins as a repeatable, painless, non-invasive test.