Sentinel lymph node mapping in melanoma with technetium-99m dextran.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this work is to evaluate the capability of Tc99m B Dextran as a lymphoscintigraphic agent in the detection of the sentinel node in skin lesions.


METHODS
Forty-one patients with melanomas (39) and Merkel cell tumors (2) had perilesional intradermal injection of Tc99m-Dextran 2 hours before surgery. Serial gamma camera images and a handheld gamma probe were used to direct sentinel node biopsy.


RESULTS
In 39/41 patients, lymph channels and 52 sentinel nodes (one to three sentinel nodes/patient) could be visualized. In one patient, with a dorsal melanoma, no lymph channels or lymph nodes could be demonstrated on the images and only minimal radioactivity was found in the regional nodes with the probe. Another patient with a facial lesion failed to demonstrate lymph channels or nodes. No adverse reactions were observed.


CONCLUSIONS
Tc99m-Dextran provided good definition of lymph channels and sentinel node localization, without the risks related to the use of potentially hazardous labeled materials of biological origin.
Neubauer
S
S
Mena
I
I
Iglesis
R
R
Schwartz
R
R
Acevedo
J C
JC
Leon
A
A
Gomez
L
L
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015266:Carcinoma, Merkel Cell / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003911:Dextrans; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D015609:Organotechnetium Compounds; D011379:Prognosis; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*
D003911:Dextrans; D015609:Organotechnetium Compounds