title: SPECT/CT for preoperative sentinel node localization.
abstract: The value of SPECT/CT for detection and localization of sentinel nodes is reviewed. SPECT/CT depicts extra sentinel nodes and identifies non-nodal tracer accumulation. SPECT/CT is indicated in patients with complex lymphatic drainage as often present in patients with head, neck and scapular melanoma, breast cancer patients with extra-axillary sentinel nodes and patients with tumors draining to pelvic nodes. SPECT/CT also clarifies the drainage pattern of inconclusive conventional images (non-visualization or unclear location of the nodes).
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Hospital, 1066 CX Amsterdam, The Netherlands. l.vermeeren@nki.nl
authors.forename: Lenka
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vermeeren
authors.forename: Iris M C
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: van der Ploeg
authors.forename: Renato A Valdés
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Olmos
authors.forename: Willem
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Meinhardt
authors.forename: W Martin C
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Klop
authors.forename: Bin B R
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Kroon
authors.forename: Omgo E
authors.initials: OE
authors.lastname: Nieweg
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy / Q000379:methods*; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed