Detection of Sentinel Lymph Nodes Using Indocyanine Green After Failing Scintigraphy in Merkel Cell Carcinoma

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare but highly aggressive skin cancer that carries a high rate of lymph node involvement and death. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network recommends sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy for the staging of the disease. Scintigraphy using radioactive isotopes (RI) such as technetium 99m (Tc99) remains the gold standard for the detection of SLNs, however, recently indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence imaging has been used to aid in the detection of SLNs.We present the case of a patient who presented with MCC of the face and two SLNs successfully identified with ICG fluorescence despite the fact that they were not detected by intraoperative scintigraphy using Tc99. The use of ICG fluorescence imaging in MCC is safe and improves the ability to detect SLNs when combined with RI.