Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 1, 2026

Analysis of Lymph Node Volume by Ultra-High-Frequency Ultrasound Imaging in the Braf/Pten Genetically Engineered Mouse Model of Melanoma
Published on: September 8, 2021
Tattoo pigment interpreted as lymph node metastasis in a case of subungual melanoma
Steven L Peterson1, Lela A Lee, Kagan Ozer
1Hand Surgery Section, Departments of Orthopedics and Surgery, Denver Health Medical Center and University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, CO, USA. slpdvmmd@aol.com
Abstract:
We present a patient with subungual melanoma of the thumb who, during radioisotope-guided selective sentinel lymphadenectomy, was found to have black, hard lymph nodes at multiple axillary node levels. This finding was interpreted intraoperatively as clinical evidence of metastasis and a formal axillary dissection was carried out. Pathological examination of excised nodes failed to demonstrate metastasis but instead showed collections of tattoo pigment.

