title: Role of SPECT/CT in sentinel lymph node detection in patients with breast cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic review of the published literature to assess the role (indications, advantages, and limitations) of SPECT/CT for the detection of sentinel lymph node (SLN) in breast cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors searched PubMed for published literature in English addressing this topic.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eleven studies, published since 2006, focused on the role and value of SPECT/CT for SLN detection (SLND). They showed that SPECT/CT improved sentinel node detection and anatomical localization. One study suggested that SPECT/CT may provide a more accurate staging. Limitations for SLND with SPECT/CT include extra time and inconvenience for the patient and additional radiation dose.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SPECT/CT is a valuable tool for SLND, especially in difficult cases, when planar lymphoscintigraphy shows no SLN or unexpected lymphatic drainage.
authors.affiliation: From the *Nuclear Medicine Department, Saint Louis Hospital, APHP, Paris, and †UCK, U728 INSERM, IUH, Paris, France; ‡Department of Radiology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA; and §Department of Nuclear Medicine, Santa Maria della Misericordia Hospital, Rovigo, Italy.
authors.forename: Laetitia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vercellino
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ohnona
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Groheux
authors.forename: Abdelhak
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Slama
authors.forename: Patrick M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Colletti
authors.forename: Sotirios
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chondrogiannis
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Merlet
authors.forename: Marie-Elisabeth
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Toubert
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rubello
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D064847:Multimodal Imaging; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed