Preoperative imaging of the lung sentinel lymphatic basin with computed tomographic lymphography: a preliminary study.
BACKGROUND
Preoperative localization of the sentinel node basin would guide selective lymph node dissection. We tried to identify these nodal stations with indirect computed tomographic lymphography using a conventional extracellular contrast agent, iopamidol.


METHODS
Eleven consecutive patients scheduled to undergo anatomic resection of suspected lung cancer, without lymphadenopathy, were given a peritumoral injection of undiluted iopamidol under computed tomography guidance, and lymphatic migration was assessed by multidetector-row helical computed tomography.


RESULTS
There were no complications such as bleeding, pneumothorax, or allergic reactions. Enhanced nodes were detected in all but 1 patient who had diffuse lymph nodal calcification. Enhanced nodes were identified at 32 ipsilateral intrathoracic nodal stations (20 hilar stations and 12 mediastinal stations). The average length of the longer axis of the enhanced nodes was 4.8 mm (range, 3 to 8 mm), and the average attenuation of the enhanced nodes was 132 (range, 46 to 261) Hounsfield units. In 9 patients with confirmed lung cancer, enhanced nodes appeared at 26 nodal stations, and all apparent enhanced nodes were identified as actual lymph nodes at appropriate position during lymphadenectomy. None of the resected lymph nodes had metastatic involvement.


CONCLUSIONS
Indirect computed tomographic lymphography with the peritumoral injection of iopamidol effectively depicts the drainage nodes unless they are diffusely calcified. Although further study is required, this method could guide selective lymph node dissection.
First Department of Surgery, Yamaguchi University School of Medicine, Ube Yamaguchi, Japan. kaueda@yamaguchi-u.ac.jp
Kazuhiro
K
Ueda
Kazuyoshi
K
Suga
Yoshikazu
Y
Kaneda
Tao-Sheng
TS
Li
Katsuhiko
K
Ueda
Kimikazu
K
Hamano
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007479:Iopamidol; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D008220:Lymphography / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011300:Preoperative Care; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*
D007479:Iopamidol