title: The relative false negative rate of isosulfan blue in detecting sentinel lymph nodes in early breast cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the false negative rate of the isosulfan blue injection method of SLN detection in early breast cancer, relative to that of the combined blue dye and radiocolloid injection method.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy women with early breast cancer underwent the combined method of SLN detection during the period between September 2007 and December 2008. Standard criteria for each method were used to identify SLNs. Each SLN was labeled as identified by the blue dye, the radiocolloid and as being positive or negative for cancer cells.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Subjects were 50 years old with tumors of size 2.3 cm on the average. The average number of SLNs harvested was 2.5 nodes per subject. The detection rate for the isosulfan blue method was 91% (64/70). The relative false negative rate of the blue dye was zero (0/64).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Experienced surgeons who use the isosulfan blue method of SLN detection in early breast cancer can be reasonably confident that the false negative rate of the isosulfan blue method was similar to that of the combined method.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: Nawin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kantaraksa
authors.forename: Youwanush
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kongdan
authors.forename: Ronnarat
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Suvikapakornkul
authors.forename: Yodying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wasutit
authors.forename: Prakasit
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chirappapha
authors.forename: Panuwat
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lertsithichai
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D004396:Coloring Agents; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012394:Rosaniline Dyes; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy
chemical_list: D004396:Coloring Agents; D012394:Rosaniline Dyes; C025484:iso-sulfan blue