PubMed Health⌕ Search

SEARCH · PubMed Health

Results for “Lymphoscintigraphy”

Explore indexed PubMed citations for clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health research. Read source abstracts and follow each citation to its original PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 217 records · Page 12Linked to original sources

Internal mammary lymphoscintigraphy in the conservative management of breast carcinoma: an update and recommendations for a new TNM staging.

The results of internal mammary lymphoscintigraphy (IML) in 524 patients with breast carcinoma who underwent partial mastectomy, with or without axillary dissection, demonstrate the predictive value of an abnormal lymphoscintigram. There was a significant difference (P less than 0.0005) in actuarial survival between patients with normal and abnormal IML. In view of the increased mortality associated with metastases to both internal mammary and axillary lymphatics compared with involvement of either site alone, and the most favourable outcome in patients with involvement of neither site, it is proposed that the current TNM staging for breast carcinoma should henceforth include the status of internal mammary lymph nodes determined by radiocolloid lymphoscintigraphy. Further refinement of the N status into NA (axilla) and N1 (internal mammary nodes) is suggested. Stages I, II, and III should designate, respectively, patients with no evidence of involvement of either lymphatic site, patients with involvement of one or the other site and patients with involvement of both sites. This would constitute a more rational approach to the staging and management of the patient with breast carcinoma and would also provide a more accurate means of evaluating the true efficacy of current strategies in comparable groups of patients. Unrecognised internal mammary lymphatic metastases have probably confounded the results of past prospective trials.

Actuarial Analysis↗

Prediction of axillary metastases in breast cancer by lymphoscintigraphy.

A new technique of axillary lymphoscintigraphy has been investigated in thirty patients with breast carcinoma. Intradermal injection of 100 muCi technetium-99m antimony sulphide colloid in 0.1 ml buffer produced satisfactory scans of axillary lymph-nodes in twenty-seven patients (90%). Ten patients with node metastases from breast cancer (9 confirmed histologically) had a defect in the lower axillary uptake on the side of the lesion. Three of the remaining seventeen patients with breast cancer and normal scans had nodal metastases seen histologically, but in two these were micro-metastases only. Axillary lymphoscintigraphy improved considerably the clinical assessment of node status, and corrected the clinical classification in five of six patients who had been misclassified by clinical examination.

Axilla↗

Pedal Tc-99m phytate lymphoscintigraphy in primary chylopericardium.

This paper describes a case of 65-year-old woman with primary chylopericardium. She received Tc-99m phytate lymphoscintigraphy after pericardial drainage and was managed with medium-chain triglycerides without surgical intervention. This was the first reported case of primary chylopericardium diagnosed with Tc-99m phytate lymphoscintigraphy.

Aged↗

[Study of the sentinel node in breast cancer using lymphoscintigraphy and a fast method for cytokeratin].

INTRODUCTION: Histopathological examination of the axillary sentinel node (SN) is becoming a routine procedure in the surgical phase of infiltrating ductal carcinoma of the breast (IDC). The SN exam may yield false negative cases mainly due to identification failure of the SN but some of the false negative cases may be the result of the pathological examination procedure applied. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Sixty two (62) cases of clinically staged N0 IDC of the breast by TNM nomenclature were assigned to breast surgery along with conventional axillary node dissection. The identification technique included lymphoscintigraphy and intraoperative gamma-detecting probe after peritumoral injection of 99mTc-labeled colloids.The histological study of SN was performed with paired 4 microm slices and staining with hematoxylin-eosin and with a fast method of cytokeratins for freezing. RESULTS: In only two of the 62 patients, it was not possible to identify the SN. Eighteen of the remaining 60 had SN involvement by metastasis, having no metastases in the other nodes of the axillary dissection in 6 of them. Ten of those were micrometastasis (size of metastasis= or <0.2 cm). In two out of these last 10 cases, diagnosis of the micrometastasis was only possible using slices stained with CK. There were no false negative results. CONCLUSIONS: The lymphoscintigraphy, after peritumoral injection of small volumes and low dose of the tracer, makes it possible to obtain excellent results in the intraoperative detection of the SN in breast cancer. The study of this SN with a fast method for CK decreases the number of false negative results of the technique.

Breast Neoplasms↗

Lymphoscintigraphy and feasibility of sentinel node biopsy in 83 patients with primary breast cancer.

Sentinel node (SN) biopsy technique has been reported to be a very accurate staging procedure in patients with stage I/II melanoma. Whether it is as accurate in patients with breast cancer has to be studied more extensively. Eighty-three patients with clinically T1-T2 N0M0 breast cancer were peri-tumorally injected with 99m-Tc colloidal-albumin. Lymphoscintigraphy was performed either 4 or 18 h after the injection. Using a gamma probe the SN were located in vivo, removed from the axillary specimen and sent for histological examination. No focal accumulation was seen on the lymphoscintigraphy in 17 patients. Two patients had parasternal SN locations only and in seven patients the localization of the SN failed. Of the remaining 57 patients, 23 had positive axillary basins, of which 22 were correctly predicted by one or more positive SN. There was one false-negative biopsy (sensitivity=96%). In 12 of the 22 positive axillary basins, SN was the only positive node. We conclude that the SN biopsy technique is a promising and feasible procedure in about three-quarters of patients with clinically T1-T2 N0M0 breast cancer. However, more data are needed to establish the actual sensitivity of this procedure.

Axilla↗

Axillary lymphoscintigraphy: current status in the treatment of breast cancer.

Postoperative axillary lymphoscintigraphy has been performed after time-differentiated intercostal and interdigital injections of a 99Tc-labeled sulfur microcolloid in 313 patients suffering from breast cancer who underwent radical surgery with axillary dissection. As demonstrated by the absence of visualized lymph nodes after both injections, the axillary dissection could be considered as complete in only 34.6% of the investigated patients. The greatest part of lymph nodes, remaining after surgery, corresponds to the inferior and central groups (after interdigital injection). In 15% of the cases the intercostal injection leads to the demonstration of external mammary lymph nodes. According to the analysis of 202 cases with at least 1 year follow-up, the existence of visualized residual lymph nodes represents a factor of risk to develop nodal relapse especially in patients with positive peroperative axillary lymph node status who did not receive postoperative X-ray treatment. Upper limb edema occurs in 22.5% of the cases; mainly in patients with negative lymphoscintigraphic findings (demonstrating the interruption of the axillary lymphatic flux) and without nodal irradiation. Postoperative axillary lymphoscintigraphic findings should be evaluated in connection with the peroperative axillary lymph node status as established according to the histological analysis, and should take into account the number of removed lymph nodes. Preoperative axillary lymphoscintigraphy seems to be a less contributive examination technique.

Adult↗

Internal mammary lymphoscintigraphy: current status in the treatment of breast cancer.

In the management of breast carcinomas, the internal mammary lymphoscintigraphy represents a simple, nontraumatic and reproducible technique to visualize and investigate the internal mammary nodes. As suggested by the total absence of visualization of nodes on the operated side in all or in the two upper intercostal spaces, internal mammary chain invasion concerns 30% of the population. This frequency increases with the clinical staging of the tumor, its size, and the extent of the disease in the axilla. It is higher for tumors of inner rather than of outer quadrants. When internal mammary lymphoscintigrams are compared in frontal view to the limits of the usual irradiation fields, parasternal nodes outside these limits or in borderline position are observed in 15 to 34% of the population according to the X-ray technique used. Furthermore, 40% of the tangential irradiation fields does not give an adequate irradiation dose to the internal mammary nodes. In one case out of four, IMLSc allows the reduction of useless heart- and lung-irradiated volumes. Internal mammary node invasion as demonstrated by lymphoscintigraphy has been demonstrated to have a prognostic value as the anatomopathological axillary node status, concerning both survival and disease evolution rates. IMLSc, when compared to the other possible investigation techniques of these nodes (X-ray computed tomography, echography or surgery, etc.), represents at the present time the investigation method of choice with the widest implications (diagnostic, therapeutic, and prognostic).

Breast↗

Inadvertent 2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-D-glucose lymphoscintigraphy: a potential pitfall characterized by hybrid PET-CT.

PURPOSE: To communicate an important pitfall in positron emission tomography (PET) oncologic staging using 2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-D-glucose (FDG). PROCEDURE: A 60-year-old man with a right upper lobe bronchogenic carcinoma was injected with FDG through a cannula in his left cubital fossa, with a small amount of the dose extravasating. RESULTS: Images obtained one hour post-injection with a positron emission tomography-computerized tomography (PET-CT) scanner demonstrated linear FDG activity running with the left arm brachial vascular bundle and along collateral channels, and accumulation of FDG in a low left axillary lymph node of normal size and CT appearance. CONCLUSIONS: Following inadvertent extravasation, FDG appears to accumulate in regional lymph nodes in the same fashion as bone scanning agents or lymphoscintigraphy colloid. Physicians and technologists need to be aware of this important pitfall in order to avoid the false positive diagnosis of nodal metastases. The ability of PET to demonstrate lymphatics and lymph nodes indicates its possible future use in lymphoscintigraphy.

Journal Article↗

Distichiasis-lymphoedema: clinical features, venous function and lymphoscintigraphy.

Distichiasis-lymphoedema is a rare variant of the genetically determined lymphoedemas; distichiasis is the abnormal development of the meibomian glands causing aberrant growth of eyelashes. However, a better understanding of this clinically distinct subgroup may provide useful information on the genetic inheritance of all types of lymphoedema. This report provides phenotype data on a very large family with distichiasis-lymphoedema. Lymphoscintigraphy and light reflection rheography (venous function) were undertaken to identify the phenotype more clearly. As a result of lymphoscintigraphy several subjects were reclassified phenotypically (unaffected or affected) with implications for genetic linkage studies. Associated congenital abnormalities were found and venous abnormalities were almost always present in affected limbs. A dominant inheritance with incomplete penetrance was confirmed.

Adolescent↗

Lymphoscintigraphy using technetium-99m human serum albumin in chylothorax.

Chylous effusion is an infrequent complication of abdominothoracic surgery. When conservative therapy cannot cure the patient, surgical closure of the thoracic duct must be performed. If radiological lymphography is impossible to perform, lymphoscintigraphy with Tc-99m human serum albumin is a good alternative. Here, we present two patients who developed chylothorax after abdominothoracic surgery. Successful surgery was performed after lymphoscintigraphy had demonstrated the disruption of the thoracic duct.

Adenocarcinoma↗

[Intraoperative lymphoscintigraphy in radical surgery of cancer].

The use of a gamma-camera operating table and the intraoperative lymphoscintigraphy using 99mTc-Antimony sulfide in radical surgery of carcinoma of the breast allows a better control of axillary lymphadenectomy. Remained lymph nodes are localized by an indicator filled with technetium and removed secondarily. Due to this technique it is possible to control and increase the extent of the axillary lymphadenectomy. Since the introduction of intraoperative axillary lymphoscintigraphy 83 patients were treated by mastectomy and axillary lymphadenectomy. In 48 cases complete lymphadenectomy could be obtained.

Antimony↗

Mapping sentinel lymph node in breast cancer by combined lymphoscintigraphy, blue-dye, and intraoperative gamma-probe.

The purpose of the present work was two-fold: 1) to evaluate the predictive value of the sentinel lymph node (sLN) versus the axillary-node status in patients with T1-T2 breast cancer, and 2) to form an experimental basis for a randomized trial in which one group of patients with non-metastatic sLN will not have axillary dissection. Of a group of 284 patients considered for this analysis, 264 had a T1 cancer (16 T1a, 37 T1b and 211 T1c), while 20 had a T2 cancer; 243 patients were in clinical stage N0 and 41 were N1. All patients underwent lymphoscintigraphy 18 hr before surgery: 10 MBq in 0.15 mL of 99mTc-human albumin nanocolloids (particle size between 50-80 nm) was injected subdermally at the cutaneous projection of the tumor. Static gamma-camera images were acquired every 10-15 minutes until scintigraphic identification of the sLN. At surgery, 1-2 mL of Patent-Blue Violet was injected subdermally, and the sLN was searched by gamma-probe and by the dye method. The surgically isolated sLN was processed for intraoperative Hematoxylin & Eosin (H&E) histology, then for delayed histological and immunohistochemical examinations. The sLN was successfully identified by the combined radioisotopic procedure and Patent-Blue dye technique in 278/284 cases (97.9%). The Patent-Blue dye technique alone identified fewer sLNs than the radioisotopic procedure alone (56.3% versus 97.2%). Analysis of the predictive value of the sLN as to the status of axillary lymph nodes was limited to 197 patients undergoing standard axillary dissection irrespective of the sLN status. Overall, 63/191 (33%) identified sLNs were metastatic, the sLN alone being involved in 37/63 (58.7%) patients; a positive axilla status with negative sLN was found in 10/73 patients with metastatic involvement (13.7% false-negative rate). In conclusion, subdermal lymphoscintigraphy was confirmed to be an effective technique for sLN mapping; the addition of Patent-Blue dye minimally improved intra-surgical identification of the sLN. There was a high, but not absolute, correlation between a negative sLN and a negative axilla.

Adult↗

Practical aspects of indirect lymphography and lymphoscintigraphy.

The objective of this presentation is to discuss practical issues related to the use of indirect lymphography and lymphoscintigraphy in the differential diagnosis of lymphedema. Indirect lymphography demonstrates the filling of initial lymphatics and of lymph collectors. Lymphoscintigraphy is utilized to generate morphological and functional imaging information about the lymphatic drainage. For the functional evaluation of lymphatic drainage, quantitative measurement of the lymph node uptake can be performed. The practical implications of these diagnostic interventions are discussed.

Edema↗

Lymphoscintigraphy: defining a clinical role.

Radionuclide lymphoscintigraphy is a useful technique for differentiating lymphedema from other causes of swelling, and may sometimes be useful for delineating collateral lymphatics, the level of obstruction, and the presence of lymphoceles or abnormal collections of lymphatic vessels, if they communicate sufficiently with normal lymphatic vessels. Standardization of technique is important to provide better intrapatient and even interpatient comparison. Symmetry, numbers, and locations of lymphatic vessels, lymph nodes, abnormal collections, and dermal collaterals are helpful in the qualitative assessment of lymphoscintigraphy. In addition, region-of-interest analysis may be used to quantitate the clearance of the radiopharmaceutical from the injection site and its accumulation in draining lymph nodes. The constellation of findings may be used to assess the severity of the lymphatic obstruction, the involvement of clinically normal limbs, and to plan therapy.

Diagnosis, Differential↗

Lymphoscintigraphy as a guide to treatment in malignant melanoma.

Regional node dissection is practiced as a measure of prophylaxis in patients with stage I and II malignant melanoma. Although the drainage pattern of the extremities is obvious, in the head and neck and trunk it may be ambiguous. We have used lymphoscintigraphy to assist in delineating the lymphatic drainage in 22 patients with primary malignant melanoma. Fourteen patients had melanoma in the head and neck region, and eight had melanoma in the trunk region. Based on Clark's classification there were ten level III melanomas, eight level IV melanomas, and two level V melanomas; the levels of the remaining two melanomas were unspecified. Seven melanomas were between 0.76 and 1.5-mm thick, eleven were between 1.51 and 4.0-mm thick, and two were over 4.0-mm thick (the remaining two were unspecified). Regional nodes were clinically negative in 18 patients. The scan distribution was unexpected in 13 patients (59%), and it influenced the surgical procedure in 11 patients (50%). No patient incurred an adverse effect from the scan. We conclude that lymphoscintigraphy may be of value in guiding prophylactic lymph node dissection in melanoma patients.

Adult↗

Lymphoscintigraphy with sentinel lymph node biopsy in cutaneous Merkel cell carcinoma.

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare cutaneous malignancy characterized by an aggressive clinical behavior with high rates of locoregional and systemic recurrence. Regional disease and distant metastases are associated with poor prognosis. Despite a predisposition of MCC to spread via the lymphatics, prophylactic lymph node dissection in the absence of clinically apparent lymph node involvement is controversial. The value of lymphoscintigraphy in cutaneous melanoma is established in lesions with ambiguous lymphatic drainage patterns. When used with sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB), it can identify subjects with occult regional node metastasis. The authors present 2 patients with MCC who underwent regional node staging with lymphoscintigraphy-directed SLNB. Both patients had sentinel nodes that were positive for metastatic disease. In patients with MCC, minimally invasive regional node staging SLNB may be useful in limiting the sequelae of routine lymphadenectomies. Whether early identification and treatment of patients with occult regional node disease can influence survival in MCC is not known.

Aged↗

Lymphoscintigraphy. A reliable test for the diagnosis of lymphedema.

The efficacy of lymphoscintigraphy in the diagnosis of lymphedema was evaluated in 17 patients (total of 20 extremities). Final diagnoses were: three extremities with primary lymphedema, eight with secondary lymphedema, and nine with edema due to other causes. Qualitative interpretation of image patterns was reliable in differentiating lymphedema from edema of other origins (sensitivity 73%, specificity 100%). There were eight true-positive, nine true-negative, no false-positive, and three false-negative extremities. The three false-negative results occurred in extremities that were not imaged within the first hour. Lymphoscintigraphy is a reliable, objective, and noninvasive means of supporting the diagnosis of lymphedema, and lends itself more readily to repeated studies for follow-up than other available tests.

Adult↗

Dynamic lymphoscintigraphy to identify the sentinel and satellite nodes.

Lymphoscintigraphy is increasingly used to identify the first draining node (sentinel node) in patients with malignant melanoma or breast cancer. If the sentinel node is tumor free then the remainder of the nodes in that specific nodal bed are likely to be free of metastases. Localization and biopsy of the sentinel node with an intraoperative surgical probe may obviate more radical lymph node dissection. Lymphoscintigraphy is conventionally performed by injecting the radioactive tracer in the four quadrants around the primary tumor and imaging the appropriate nodal beds approximately 30 minutes later. The visualized node nearest the tumor usually is assumed to represent the sentinel node. To test this assumption, a dynamic acquisition was obtained in 16 patients with malignant melanoma to determine if the node nearest the tumor was actually the first draining node. In one of 16 patients, the radioactive tracer injected around a thigh melanoma drained first to an inguinal node and then drained inferiorly to a second inguinal node located closer to the tumor. The distinction between the sentinel and satellite (secondary draining nodes) may have important clinical implications regarding the number of nodes that require surgical excision. In summary, static images do not define the pattern of lymph flow and the node nearest the tumor is not necessarily the sentinel node. Failure to obtain dynamic images may lead to misdiagnosis of the sentinel node in a small percentage of patients.

Humans↗