A prospective study of twenty-one patients with proven malignant melanoma carried out over the past threeyears compares the use of plain chest radiographys, conventional linear tomograms and computed tomograms foridentification and evaluaiton of thoracic metastsis. Prior to surgical resection of the primary melanoma allpatients had negative high quality chest radiographys, Nineteen patients also had preoperative conventional orcomputed tomograms which were negative for thoracic metastasis. Follow-up chest radiographs and computed tomogramsrevealed thoracic metastasis in ten patients (48%). It is concluded that although a high percentage of patientswith malignant melanoma eventually develop pulmonary metastasis, chest tomographic studies are unlikely to provideclinically useful new information at the time of preoperative assessment if the preoperative chest radiography isnegative.