title: Evaluation of surgical gamma probes for sentinel node localization in cervical and vulvar cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sentinel node (SN) scintigraphy for cervical and vulvar cancer guides the gynaecological oncologist in finding the metastatic lymph nodes during lymphadenectomy. The role of the surgical gamma probe in the sentinel node concept in gynaecological oncology is to localise (SN) both intra-operatively and transcutaneously. Intra-operative hand-held collimated gamma probes are increasingly used for detection of the sentinel lymph node.
  
  
  METHODS
  A comparative evaluation of hand held gamma probes: Neoprobe 1,500, Europrobe, Gamma Finder, Gamma Ray Prospector GRP1 and GPR2 was performed using different detection methods. Laboratory tests were performed in which sensitivity, spatial resolution and angular sensitivity were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results for each gamma probe were summarised and discussed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Awareness of a gamma probeís capabilities and limitations should be considered in the appropriate selection of a device.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynaecology, Medical University, Gdańsk, Poland. dwydra@amg.gda.pl
authors.forename: Dariusz
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wydra
authors.forename: Rafał
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Matuszewski
authors.forename: Grzegorz
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Romanowicz
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bandurski
mesh_terms: D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D005260:Female; D015902:Gamma Cameras; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy / Q000379:methods; D025321:Surgery, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D014846:Vulvar Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*