title: The efficacy of 99mTc-HIG for sentinel lymph node mapping in breast cancer patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy of Tc-HIG on SLN identification in patients with early-stage breast cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventeen women (18 tumours) with early-stage breast cancer were included. On the day of the operation, 111 MBq Tc-HIG was injected around the tumour or biopsy scar in all patients. Subsequently, dynamic lymphoscintigraphic images were taken for 30 min. After this, static images were recorded at 15-20 min intervals until the SLN was visualized. Patients were taken to the operating room 2-4 h after radiopharmaceutical injection. Before the incision, 5 ml of isosulfan blue dye solution was injected peritumourally in all subjects. Aided by blue dye and gamma probe SLN detection was done during the operation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 17/18 tumours, SLN was detected with Tc-HIG lymphoscintigraphy. The mean visualization time for axillary SLNs was 49.94+/-11.25 min and for internal mammary SLNs was 52.50+/-10.60 min. In 15 of the tumours, only one SLN was detected in the axillary region. However, in two tumours, SLNs were found in both axillary and internal mammary regions. With blue dye mapping, axillary SLNs were found in 17/18 tumours. With the application of intraoperative gamma probe, all axillary and internal mammary SLNs were detected in 18 tumours.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that Tc-HIG may be a suitable agent for SLN detection by lymphoscintigraphy and intraoperative gamma probe application in early-stage breast cancer patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Baskent University Medical Faculty, 10 Sokak No. 45, 06490 Bahcelievler, Ankara, Turkey. arzugencoglu@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Esra Arzu
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Gencoglu
authors.forename: Hulya
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yalcn
authors.forename: Mahmut
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yagmurdur
authors.forename: Aynur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ozen
authors.forename: Ozgur
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Basaran
authors.forename: Feza
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Karakayal
authors.forename: Yahya
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ekici
authors.forename: Hamdi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Karakayal
authors.forename: Ayse
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aktas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging / Q000379:methods; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy / Q000379:methods*; D013667:Technetium
chemical_list: D007136:Immunoglobulins; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; C065376:technetium Tc 99m immunoglobulin; D013667:Technetium