• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.478-486
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• 2000

Purpose: The sentinel lymph node is defined as the first draining node from a primary tumor and reflects the histologic feature of the remainder of the lymphatic basin status. The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of lymphoscintigraphy and intraoperative radioguided gamma probe for identification and removal of sentinel lymph node in breast cancer. Materials and Methods: Lymphoscintigraphy was performed preoperatively in 15 patients with biopsy proven primary breast cancer. Tc-99m antimony sulfide colloid was injected intradermally at four points around the tumor. Imaging acquisition included dynamic imaging, followed by early and late static images at 2 hours. The sentinel lymph node criteria on lymphoscintigraphy is the first node of the highest uptake in early and late static images. We tagged the node emitting the highest activity both in vivo and ex vivo. Histologic study for sentinel and axillary lymph node investigation was done by Hematoxylin-Eosin staining. Results: On lymphoscintigraphy, three of 15 patients had clear lymphatic vessels in dynamic images, and 11 of 15 patients showed sentinel lymph node in early static image and three in late static 2 hours image. Mean detection time of sentinel lymph node on lymphoscintigraphy was $33.5{\pm}48.4$ minutes. The sentinel lymph node localization and removal by lymphoscintigraphy and intraoperative gamma probe were successful in 14 of 15 patients (detection rate: 93.3%). On lymphoscintigraphy, 14 of 15 patients showed $2.47{\pm}2.00$ sentinel lymph nodes. On intraoperative gamma probe, $2.36{\pm}1.96$ sentinel lymph nodes were detected. In 7 patients with positive results of sentinel lymph node metastasis, 5 patients showed positive results of axillary lymph node (sensitivity: 72%) but two did not. In 7 patients with negative results of sentinel lymph node metastasis, all axillary nodes were free of disease (specificity: 100%). Conclusion: Sentinel lymph node biopsy with lymphoscintigraphy and intraoperative gamma probe is a reliable method to predict axillary lymph node metastasis in breast cancer, and unnecessary axillary lymph node dissection can be avoided.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.143-151
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• 1999

Purpose: Dermatolymphangioadenitis (DLA) is a common and serious complication of lymphedema which deteriorates lymphatic function. The purpose of this study was to assess the risk of DLA by lymphos-cintigraphy in patients with lower extremity lymphedema. Materials and Methods: The subjects were 59 edematous lower extremities of 50 patients without previous episode of DLA and 12 lower extremities of 6 controls. Whole body images were acquired 1 min and 2 hr after subcutaneous injection of 37 MBq of Tc-99m-antimony sulfide colloid into interdigital spaces of both feet before therapy for lymphedema. The lymphosintigraphic and clinical variables were compared between groups with or without occurrence of DLA during clinical follow up. Results: There were 20 episodes of DLA in 12 extremities during clinical follow-up (19 :6 months). On univariate analysis, there were significant differences in ilioinguinal lymph node uptake, uptake pattern of main lymphatic vessel, clinical stage and therapy compliance between the two groups. After multivariate analysis, only the uptake pattern of main lymphatic vessel and therapy compliance fore confirmed to be independent variables. In other words, non-visualized main lymphatic vessel and poor compliance to therapy were more frequent in extremities with subsequent occurrence of DLA. Conclusion: Lymphoscintigraphy can be used to predict the risk of DLA and may thus be helpful for determining the initial therapeutic plan in patients with lower extremity lymphedema.

• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.451-455
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• 2008

Purpose: Lymphoscintigraphy and sentinel node biopsy has become a standard method for detection of axillary lymph node metastasis in breast cancer patients, but the standard radiopharmaceutical was not prepared. About detection of axillary lymph node metastasis by lymphoscintigraphy and sentinel node biopsy in breast cancer patient, we compared the results of Tc-99m Tin-colloid and Tc-99m Phytate by subareolar injection. Materials and Methods: This study included 382 breast cancer patients who were performed operation during 2001-2008. Three hundred forty nine patients was injected 0.8ml of Tc-99m Tin-colloid (37-185 MBq) by subareolar injection. Thirty three patients was injected 0.8ml of Tc-99m Phytate (37-185 MBq). Lymphoscintigraphy was performed in supine position and sentinel node localization was performed by hand-held gamma probe in operation. Result: Among 349 patients by Tc-99m Tin-colloid, 312 cases (89.4%) localized the sentinel node by lymphoscintigraphy, 304 cases (87.1%) localized by gamma probe. Among 33 patients by Tc-99m Phytate, 32 cases (97.0%) localized by lymphoscintigraphy, 33 cases (100%) localized by gamma probe. Detection rate by lymphoscintigraphy and gamma probe was superior for Tc-99m Phytate compared to that with Tc-99m Tin-colloid, with a statistically significant difference. (p<0.05, p<0.05) Conclusion: Tc-99m Phytate is a better choice for localization of sentinel node than Tc-99m Tin-colloid in breast cancer patients.

• 대한핵의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 1999.11a
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• pp.26.1-26.1
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• 1999

• 대한핵의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 1998.11a
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• pp.45.1-45.1
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• 1998

• 대한핵의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2001.11a
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• pp.42.1-42.1
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• 2001

• 대한핵의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 1998.11a
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• pp.43.2-43.2
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• 1998

• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.55-59
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• 2009

Purpose: Lymphoscintigraphy and sentinel node biopsy are used in detection of axillary lymph node metastasis in breast cancer patients, but standardized technique is not established. We compared the results of the injection the morning of surgery (1 day protocol) with the subareolar injection the day before surgery (2 day protocol) with the subareolar injection in patients with breast cancer having lymphoscintigraphy and sentinel node biopsy. Materials and Methods: This study included 349 patients who underwent the breast cancer operation during 2001-2004. One hundred seventy one patients (1 day protocol, 1 hour) was injected 0.8ml of Tc-99m Tin-Colloid (37 MBq) by subareolar injection on the morning of surgery. One hundred seventy eight patients (2 day protocol, 16 hour) was injected 0.8 ml of T c-99m Tin-Colloid (185 MBq) on the afternoon before surgery. Lymphoscintigraphy was performed in sitting position and sentinel node localization was performed by hand-held gamma probe during operation. Result: In the 1 day protocol, 153 cases (89.5%) of the sentinel node were localized by lymphoscintigraphy and 150 cases (87.7%) were localized by gamma probe. In the 2 day protocol, 159 cases (89.3%) were localized by lymphoscintigraphy and 154 cases (86.5%) were localized by gamma probe. There was no significant difference in localization of sentinel node between the 1 day and the 2 day protocol by lymphoscintigraphy and gamma probe (p>0.05, p>0.05). Conclusion: There was no difference the result of localization of sentinel node with subareolar injection between the 1 day and the 2 day protocol in breast cancer patients. Because the 2 day protocol allows the enough time of performing lymphoscintigraphy, it is more useful in localization of sentinel node in breast cancer patients.

• 대한핵의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2004.11a
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• pp.415.2-415.2
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• 2004

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.75-81
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• 2006

In the past, most patient of breast cancer suffered side effects due to the useless removement of Axillary Lymph Node, but there is no need to remove it because of the result in this study. The purpose of this study is to save surgery time and side effects after surgical operation for patients with breast cancer by making decisions of operation range for metastasis in first Stenosis Lymph Node using the $^{99m}Tc-Tincolloid$ Scintigraphy and the Micro Probe for radioisotope. As a result of this study, 15 among 20 patients became objects of this study could reduced side effects for operation because there were no axillary lymph node operations. However there is no standard for method of this treatment. It should be standardize where inject point is, how much $^{99m}Tc-Tincolloid$ should be injected(radioactivity value), and the need of massage and Lymph Scintigraphy. Nevertheless I think that this result of study is useful to reduce suffering and side effects from breast cancer and also we should try to do that continuously. The objects for this study were 20 patients diagnosed as breast cancer by Ultrasonography, Mammography & Biopsy. The average of patient age was 45.4 years and its range was between 31 and 71 years. In case of clinical period there were 9 patients of Period I and II patients of Period III. The equipment for this study were $^{99m}Tc-Tincolloid$ describing the Stenosis Lymph Node as a tracer, Micro Probe : Neoprobe 2000(the rest is Gamma Probe) tracing the location, and MS-II Gamma Camera : SIEMENS(the rest is MS-II Gamma Camera) describing the images. There were 3 methods for this study, after selecting one of those methods all 20 patients were performed Stenosis Lymph Node diagnosis & Gamma Probe in operation room. The result was that I imaged all the 20 patients, and seek the Stenosis Lymph Node by using Gamma Probe. Metastasis in Stenosis Lymph Node was 5 and Metastasis in Axillary Lymph Node was 3 between Metastasis in Stenosis Lymph Node cases. Finally 15 patients were also proved that Axillary Lymph Node was Positive and that means there was no Metastasis in Axillary Lymph Node.