title: Sentinel lymph node mapping in patients with operable non-small cell lung cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to determine the accuracy and the role of the sentinel lymph node (SLN) in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was carried out on 25 consecutive patients [M/F=23(:)2, mean age 62.84 (47-81) years] with operable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). At thoracotomy, 0.25 mCi of Technecium(99m) (99mTc) nanocolloid was injected into each quadrant of lung tissue surrounding the tumor. Before resection scintigraphic measurements of lymph nodes were obtained in vivo and ex vivo using a hand-held gamma probe counter and the findings were compared with histological examination. SLN was defined as the node with the highest count rate.
  
  
  RESULTS
  SLNs were identified in 23 of 25 patients (92%) with a total number of 52 SLNs. Seven of 52 (13%) of these SLNs were positive for metastatic involvement after histological and immunohistochemical examination. In two patients (8%), SLNs could not be found. The sensitivity and specificity were 55% and 86% respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This technic is a good method for identifying the first site of potential nodal metastases of NSCLC. These preliminary results demonstrate this procedure is feasible, but the detection rate has to be improved.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Trakya University Faculty of Medicine, Edirne, Turkey;
authors.forename: Yekta Altemur
authors.initials: YA
authors.lastname: Karamustafaoglu
authors.forename: Yener
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yoruk
authors.forename: Fazli
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yanik
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sarikaya
keywords: 99mTc nanocolloid; Non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC); lymph node intraoperative detection; nodal dissection; sentinel lymph node