title: Validation of Contrast Enhanced Ultrasound Technique to Wire Localization of Sentinel Lymph Node in Patients with Early Breast Cancer.
abstract: Axillary staging is one of the primary steps in management of Breast cancer patients. Current standard methods including blue dye and radicolloid have limitations and disadvantages. In this study, the feasibility of visualization of lymph node pathways and localization of SLN with the help of CEUS was assessed. 50 patients with early breast cancer diagnosis underwent CEUS and wire localization, methylenblue dye, and isotope scan methods for SLN detection. The pathology findings of the wired SLN were compared with those obtained from, methylenblue dye, and isotope scan methods. Lymph node wiring was successfully performed in 48 patients.Radio-isotope technique detected SLN in all 50 patients while blue-dye succeeded in 48. Sensitivity of CEUS to detect SLN compared with radio-isotope and blue dye methods was 96 % and 100 %, respectively. Considering costs and facilities required to perform radio-isotope technique and complications of blue dye we may accept CEUS with the help of micro-bubble contrasts as a viable alternative. However, more studies with larger sample volumes, using various drugs, and including non-selective population are warranted to better clarify feasibility and accuracy of this technique in comparison with current methods.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Iranian National Cancer Institute, Imam Khomeini Complex, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Maryam H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Esfehani
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Sina Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Adel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yazdankhah-Kenari
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Iranian National Cancer Institute, Imam Khomeini Complex, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Ramesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Omranipour
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Iranian National Cancer Institute, Imam Khomeini Complex, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Habib Allah
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Mahmoudzadeh
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Iranian National Cancer Institute, Imam Khomeini Complex, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Shahriar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shahriaran
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Sina Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Zafarghandi
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Sina Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Hadi Ahmadi
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Amoli
keywords: Breast neoplasms; Microbubbles; Sentinel lymph node; Ultrasonography; lynphedema