[Comparison between intratumoral and peritumoral injection of radiotracer for locating and biopsying the sentinel lymph node in nonpalpable breast cancer].
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether there are differences in the technical efficacy in detecting and biopsying the sentinel node after intratumoral or peritumoral administration of the radiotracer in patients with nonpalpable early-stage breast cancer.


METHODS
This prospective, randomized study included 80 patients with nonpalpable breast cancer without axillary adenopathies who were scheduled for primary surgical treatment. Patients were randomized to one of two groups: the INTRA group (intratumoral radiotracer administration, n=35) or the PERI group (peritumoral radiotracer administration, n=45). Patients with suspicious axillary lymph nodes at clinical or ultrasonographic examination that had positive results after fine-needle aspiration cytology were excluded.


RESULTS
The rates of sentinel node detection were 97.1% (34/35) for intratumoral injection and 84.4% (38/45) for peritumoral injection. Radiotracer migration failure occurred in 8 cases (one in the INTRA group and 7 in the PERI group). The sentinel node was detected in an extra-axillary location in 21.9% of cases (11/59 in the INTRA group and 16/64 in the PERI group).


CONCLUSIONS
Our study found no statistically significant differences in the detection rates of axillary or extra-axillary sentinel lymph nodes between the two groups; however, we observed greater technical efficacy with intratumoral radiotracer administration.
Mariscal
A
A
Servicio de Radiología, Hospital Universitario Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Barcelona, España. mariscal.germanstrias@gencat.net
Balliu
E
E
Solá
M
M
Pérez de Tudela
A
A
Fraile
M
M
Julián
J F
JF
D001706:Biopsy / Q000379:methods; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015552:Injections, Intralesional; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy / Q000379:methods; D013668:Technetium Tc 99m Aggregated Albumin / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D013668:Technetium Tc 99m Aggregated Albumin