Radionavigated detection of sentinel nodes in breast carcinoma--first experiences of our department.
BACKGROUND
Biopsy and histological evaluation of sentinel lymphatic node limits the axillary node dissection only in cases of positive histological finding and decreases the occurrence of postoperative complications related to the axillary node dissection.


METHODS
We used radiotracer SentiScint, Medi-Radiopharma Ltd, Hungary and preoperatively administered blue dye--Blue Patenté V, Guebert, Aulnay-Sous-Bios, France. 11 (18%) patients were subdued to deep peritimorous application of radiotracer, 10 (16.4%) to sub/intradermal application over the lesions and n 40 (65.6%) patients the application was sub/intradermal and periareolar. The patients underwent an operation protocol of corresponding quadrantectomy, radionavigated blue-dye sentinel node biopsy and axillary dissection.


CONCLUSIONS
From May 2006 to June 2008, we examined 61 patients with breast carcinoma. They underwent radionavigated and blue-dye sentinel node biopsy. We detected 57 (93.4%) sentinel nodes with preoperative scintigraphy, of which only 51 (83.6%) were detected peroperatively and underwent histological evaluation. In six (9.8%) cases, the "frozen cut" histology of the primary lesion had shown a benign lesion; hence no sentinel node biopsy or axillary disection was performed. 12 (19.7%) of 51 histologically evaluated sentinel nodes had metastatic invasion. We retrospectively compared the histological fund in sentinel and axillary nodes in patients with metastatic sentinel nodes. In 6 (16.6%) cases, the sentinel node was positive of metastatic invasion but axillary nodes were histologically negative, in 6 (16.6%) cases the sentinel node and axillary nodes were positive for metastatic invasion. We observed falsely negative findings in 3 (8.3%) patients with negative histological fund in the sentinel node, but positive axillary nodes (Tab. 3, Fig. 2, Ref. 11). Full Text (Free, PDF) www.bmj.sk.
Duchaj
B
B
St. Elisabeth University College of Health and Social Sciences, Bratislava, Slovak Republic. bduchaj@gmail.com
Chvalny
P
P
Vesely
J
J
Makaiova
I
I
Durdik
S
S
Straka
V
V
Palaj
J
J
Procka
V
V
Aksamitova
K
K
Skraskova
S
S
Banki
P
P
Kovacova
S
S
Galbavy
S
S
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D015902:Gamma Cameras; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy
D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals