title: Lymphoscintigraphic drainage patterns of the auricle in healthy subjects.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In lymphoscintigraphies of the head and neck, multiple injections around a tumor result in variable drainage to multiple nodal basins. We undertook this study in healthy subjects to test whether single injections at specified points in the auricle display single predictable pathways and predict visualization of parotid sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs).
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-five healthy subjects were classified according to their injection points in the auricle. Each was injected bilaterally with 99mTc nanocolloid. Parotid and extraparotid lymph nodes were topographically differentiated. The procedure was repeated 1 week later.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Lymphoscintigraphy was reproducible. Each injection revealed a single SLN. Injection site predicted parotid SLN visualization. Two lymphatic territories with parotid or extraparotid drainage were identified.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lymphatic territories in the auricle coincide with the vascular territories and branchial origins. Our findings contradict the notion that lymphatic drainage of the head and neck is unpredictable and variably involves multiple nodal basins.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Suleyman Demirel University, Faculty of Medicine, Modernevler 131 cad no 167, Isparta, Turkey. maaydin@med.sdu.edu.tr
authors.forename: Mustafa Asim
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Aydin
authors.forename: Berna
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Okudan
authors.forename: Zeynep Dilek
authors.initials: ZD
authors.lastname: Aydin
authors.forename: Feride Meltem
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Ozbek
authors.forename: Serdar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nasir
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004423:Ear; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015609:Organotechnetium Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D010306:Parotid Gland; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
chemical_list: D015609:Organotechnetium Compounds