Sentinel node imaging and biopsy in breast cancer patients.
BACKGROUND
Several techniques have been shown to be accurate in identifying axillary sentinel lymph nodes. The accuracy of subareolar blue dye injection is compared with intraparenchymal radioisotope injection.


METHODS
Forty-two consecutive patients with breast cancer were injected with both intraparenchymal technetium-99m and subareolar isosulfan blue dye. After sentinel lymph node identification, an axillary lymph node dissection was performed.


RESULTS
The blue dye and the technetium-99m localized to the same axillary nodes even though the injection sites were different. The sensitivity of blue dye in identifying axillary sentinel nodes was 100%. The sensitivity of radioisotope injection in identifying sentinel nodes was 97.6%.


CONCLUSIONS
Subareolar blue dye injection is an extremely accurate and cost-effective method of sentinel node identification in breast cancer patients.
Donahue
E J
EJ
Department of Surgery, St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, 333 W. Thomas Rd., Suite 203, Phoenix, AZ 85013, USA. Edonahued@aol.com
D001365:Axilla; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D012394:Rosaniline Dyes; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy; D013238:Stereotaxic Techniques; D013667:Technetium
D012394:Rosaniline Dyes; C025484:iso-sulfan blue; D013667:Technetium