[Presenting skin disorders in black Afro-Caribbean patients: a multicentre study conducted in the Paris region].

Background: There have been few studies in France concerning the specific features of dermatological practice regarding dark skin (Fitzpatrick's phototype V and VI) or the special requirements of black African and Afro-Caribbean patients.

Aim: To determine the principal reasons for dermatological consultation among black patients of African or Afro-Caribbean descent in the Paris region.

Methods: This was a prospective clinical study conducted between 15 February and 15 May 2004.

The contribution of high-resolution ultrasonography in preoperatively detecting sentinel-node metastases in melanoma patients.

To evaluate the ability of high-resolution ultrasonography (hrUS) to detect sentinel-node (SN) melanoma metastases preoperatively before sentinel-node biopsy (SNB), to define hrUS resolution, and to evaluate which US criteria should be used. During a 6.5-year period, 131 consecutive patients with 132 >or=1-mm thick or ulcerated cutaneous melanomas, who were followed up at a single center, were enrolled.

Ultrasonography using simple diagnostic criteria vs palpation for the detection of regional lymph node metastases of melanoma.

Objectives: Our aims were (1) to compare the respective ability of ultrasonography and palpation to detect nodal metastasis during initial staging and follow-up in patients having melanomas and (2) to assess, we believe for the first time, which ultrasound criteria should be used to define metastasis in cases of cutaneous or mucosal melanoma.

Design: Prospective single-center study. Nodal metastasis was confirmed by histopathologic evaluation.

Ultrasonography or palpation for detection of melanoma nodal invasion: a meta-analysis.

Because treatment of distant melanoma metastases is not very effective, nodal spread should be diagnosed early so that therapeutic lymphadenectomy can be started as early as possible. Physical examination alone often does not detect nodal metastases and palpable nodes cannot be clasified unambiguously. Whether lymph-node ultrasonography-an inexpensive procedure-improves detection of nodal invasion during the initial staging and follow-up of patients with melanoma is controversial.