Assessment of the solid-state gamma camera to depict axillary sentinel lymph nodes in breast cancer patients.

PURPOSE: The solid-state gamma camera is now commercially available offering the advantages of a compact and portable system, currently used mainly in the cardiac region. We evaluate the ability of the solid-state gamma camera to depict axillary sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) in breast cancer patients.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

Preoperative SLN lymphoscintigraphy (LSG) was performed in 19 patients with breast cancer using the solid-state gamma camera. Immediately thereafter, we performed a second LSG using a single detector Anger-type gamma camera, and compared the findings from the two cameras.

RESULTS

Concordant results were obtained in 12 (63%) patients with both cameras. In 4 (21%) patients, axillary SLNs were correctly identified only with the solid-state gamma camera. In these patients, the distance between the SLN and the radiopharmaceutical injection site was closer than that of patients who had concordant results (p = 0.001).

CONCLUSION

We can depict correctly axillary SLNs with the solid-state gamma camera in comparison with the Anger-type gamma camera. This technique would be useful for assessing SLNs in breast cancer patients.