In a prospective study, 62 patients with proved melanoma and negative chest radiographs underwent full-lung tomography. Of 109 examinations performed, 12 patients had positive findings on tomography; 9 were false-positive and 3 were true-positive. Of the true-positive examinations, 2 patients already had widespread metastatic disease and 1 had an advanced local lesion. Clinical staging and therapy were changed in only 1 patient as a result of information provided by full-lung tomography. Full-lung tomography is of limited use in detection of metastases from melanoma in the presence of a negative chest radiograph.