title: Sampling of sentinel lymph nodes: a simulation study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the effects of various slicing schemes on the detection of metastases in lymph nodes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Use of an advanced computer simulation tool.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Bisectioning along the longitudinal axis is an inadequate approach. Slicing ellipsoid lymph nodes along their longitudinal axis also results in a lower rate of detecting metastases since metastatic deposits have a predilection to localize subcapsularly.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ellipsoid lymph nodes must be sliced perpendicular to the longest axis to increase the rate of detecting metastases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Başkent University School of Medicine, Bahçelievler, 06490 Ankara, Turkey. bulent.celasun@superonline.com
authors.forename: Bülent
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Celasun
authors.forename: Erkan U
authors.initials: EU
authors.lastname: Mumcuoğlu
authors.forename: Habil
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kalkan
mesh_terms: D003198:Computer Simulation; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy / Q000379:methods*