PURPOSE: Head and neck melanoma is associated with a high false negative sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) rate. Our group previously demonstrated the combination of radiotracer and ICG SPY Elite navigation system was feasible and more sensitive compared to standard vital dye and radioactive tracer for SLNB. The goal of this report was to analyze our experiences utilizing ICG fluorescence with ...

BACKGROUND Generally, sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) is performed in patients with clinically negative axillary lymph node (LN). This study was to assess imaging techniques in axillary LN staging and to evaluate the feasibility of SLNB in patients clinically suspected of axillary LN metastasis on preoperative imaging techniques (SI). METHODS A prospectively maintained database of 767 breas...

BACKGROUND Several surgeon characteristics are associated with the use of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) for breast cancer. No studies have systematically examined the relative contribution of both surgeon and hospital factors on receipt of SLNB. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the relationship between surgeon and hospital characteristics, including a novel claims-based classification of hospital co...

Standard practice requires the use of Tc–labeled radiopharmaceuticals for SLNB. The presence of F-FDG in study subjects results in greater than normal background signal being detected by the handheld gamma probe used for SLNB, due to the down-scatter of 511keV Fluorine-18 (F) gamma photons into the Tc energy window. This cross-talk background could potentially hinder detection of low-activity S...

Our study aimed to analyze postoperative treatment-related morbidity after sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) compared to systematic inguinofemoral lymph node dissection (ILND) and the recurrence rate in patients with vulvar cancer. This single center study included 128 patients diagnosed with vulvar cancer that underwent ILND or SLNB between January 1991 - January 2011 with intraoperative SLN d...

BACKGROUND In early breast cancer, the optimal technique for sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) is the combined technique (radioisotope and Patent Blue V) which achieves high identification rates. Despite this, many centres have decided to stop using blue dye due to blue-dye-related complications (tattoo, anaphylaxis). We evaluated the SLNB identification rate using the combined technique with a...

In current dermatological practice lymphatic mapping and sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) are frequently used in patients with cutaneous cancers, like malignant melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma and Merkel cell carcinoma. However, those tumors are often located on the head and neck, regions with notoriously variable lymphatic drainage patterns. Consequently, the incidence of successful SLNB in...

BACKGROUND Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) was developed to axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) in the treatment of breast cancer. SLNB is predictive of axillary node status. Major concern is the occurrence of a false-negative SLN. Purpose of this study is to determine the rate of axillary recurrence in our series of unselected patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS All patients with a negative S...

BACKGROUND Lymph node metastases from squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) can reach 20% in some high risk subgroups, and while early detection of metastasis may potentially improve overall and/or disease-specific survival, techniques for early detection have not been established. One such technique is the use of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB), however its role for SCC of the extremities has not be...

INTRODUCTION Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) is a standard procedure in the therapeutic management of patients with non-advanced breast cancer. AIM To analyse the utility of ultrasound scan (USS) examination in the process of patient qualification for SLNB and to estimate the optimal time to perform USS in the clinical preoperational assessment of axillary lymph nodes. MATERIAL AND METHOD...