Lymphoscintigraphy as a predictor of lymphatic drainage from cutaneous melanoma

Background: If cutaneous lymphoscintigraphy (CL) is accurate in predicting the draining lymph node basins at risk from primary axial melanomas, then regional metastases should only occur in those lymph node basins identified by CL. Methods: This study is a retrospective review of patients undergoing CL for primary axial melanomas from June 1, 1985, until June 31, 1992. Data retrieved included age, gender, number of basins identified, location of basins identified, management of basins, recurrence in lymphatics, development of distant disease, and long-term follow-up. Results: A total of 181 patients underwent elective LND, and 48 patients (27%) had melanoma in the nodes within the dissected basin. Of these 181 patients, seven developed nodal metastases as their site of first recurrence. All seven recurrences were seen at sites dissected or at sites indicated by CL, which the primary surgeon elected not to treat initially. Of the 116 patients observed, 16 (14%) developed lymph node metastases as their first site of recurrence. Fifteen of these 16 patients had their site of lymph node metastases predicted by CL. In this study, CL predicted 98.6% of all lymph node metastases. Conclusions: The high overall reliability of CL as demonstrated by long-term follow-up indicates that the information obtained by CL can be reliably used to guide intervention. Initial evaluation of patients with high-risk cutaneous melanomas at sites with ambiguous lymphatic drainage must include CL in order to determine the draining lymph node basins and to plan therapy. Presented at the 47th Annual Cancer Symposium of The Society of Surgical Oncology, Houston, Texas, March 17–20, 1994.     

Lymphatic drainage from the skin of the back to retroperitoneal and paravertebral lymph nodes in melanoma patients

Background: Preoperative lymphoscintigraphy (LS) with^99mTc antimony sulphide colloid is now part of the routine management of patients with intermediate thickness melanoma at the Sydney Melanoma Unit. Over a 13-year period, 1375 patients have been examined using LS, and we have observed many unusual lymphatic drainage pathways, including direct drainage through the body wall to retroperitoneal and paravertebral lymph nodes from the skin of the back. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of such drainage in the 542 patients who had primary melanoma sites on the posterior trunk. Methods: The lymphoscintigrams performed on these patients were examined for the presence of direct lymphatic drainage through the posterior body wall to sentinel nodes in the retroperitoneal and paravertebral regions. Results: Lymphatic drainage directly through the body wall to such lymph nodes occurred in 14 of these 542 patients. Conclusions: Preoperative knowledge of the presence of this lymph drainage pattern may influence surgical management, and follow-up investigations in these patients can be tailored to ensure that the relevant areas are examined with anatomic imaging or F18-FDG PET scans.     

Therapeutic attitude towards internal mammary chain drainage in patients with breast cancer

Internal mammary chain (IMC) is one of the main local lymph drainages in breast cancer. However, internal mammary chain sentinel lymph node biopsy (IMC-SLNB) is not always performed.The purpose of this research is to evaluate the outcomes of IMC-SLNB in our institution from 2008 to 2014. We analyzed 1346 women with breast cancer. Six-hundred twenty-two sentinel node biopsies were carried out, one out of ten in IMC territory. Adjuvant radiotherapy in this area was added when positive.IMC-SLNB is feasible, it may change tumour stage, modify adjuvant therapy and change prognosis in selected patients.     

Primary Lymphedema of the Lower Limb: The Clinical Utility of Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography/CT

ObjectiveThe aim of this prospective study was to determine whether the additional use of the single photon emission computed tomography/CT (SPECT/CT) technique improves the diagnostic value of planar lymphoscintigraphy in patients presenting with primary lymph edema of the lower limb.ResultsIn comparison to pathological planar scintigraphic findings, the addition of SPECT/CT provided relevant additional information regarding the presence of dermal backflow (86%), the anatomical extent of lymphatic disorders (64%), the presence or absence of lymph nodes (46%), and the visualization of lymph vessels (4%).ConclusionAs an adjunct to planar lymphoscintigraphy, SPECT/CT specifies the anatomical correlation of lymphatic disorders and thus improves assessment of the extent of pathology due to the particular advantages of tomographic separation of overlapping sources. The interpretation of scintigraphic data benefits not only in baseline diagnosis, but also in physiotherapeutical and microsurgical treatments of primary lymphedema.     

探测前哨淋巴结在乳腺癌、早期宫颈癌和头颈鳞癌中的应用

目的评价核素淋巴显像和γ探针定位在乳腺癌、宫颈癌和头颈鳞癌中确定前哨淋巴结(SLN)的应用价值。方法女性乳腺癌116例,体检腋窝未扪及肿块。应用99Tcm-DX37~74MBq(1~2mCi)经皮下注射,或术中注射专利兰1ml,术中用γ探针定位并行前哨淋巴结活检,与手术、病理对照。宫颈癌27例,体检盆腔未扪及肿块。应用99Tcm-DX74MBq(2mCi)在宫颈肿瘤周围2°或10°处或99Tcm-SC74MBq(2mCi)阴道镜直视下四点注射,行核素淋巴显像后,手术后的标本用γ探针行体外定位,并与病理的结果加以对照。N0头颈鳞癌10例,99Tcm-DX74MBq(2mCi)肿瘤周围成分下注射,术中用γ探针定位并行前哨淋巴结活检,与手术、病理对照。结果116例乳腺癌中活检SLN108例,灵敏度为92.6%(22/27例),特异性100%(81/81例)。27例宫颈癌中SLN的灵敏度为100%(6/6例),特异性100%(21/21例)。10例N0头颈鳞癌中SLN转移3例,NSLN转移1例。结论核素淋巴显像和γ探针定位应用于乳腺癌、宫颈癌和N0头颈鳞癌是切实可行和可能的,这是一种简便、安全、易被病人接受的探测前哨淋巴结的检查方法,对预测腋窝淋巴结、盆腔淋巴结等转移有很大的临床实用价值。     

放射性核素淋巴显像的护理体会

目的:探讨注射部位和注射方法的选择在护理恶性淋巴瘤患者放射性核素淋巴显像中的重要性和必要性。方法:采用随机对照方法,32例恶性淋巴瘤患者根据病变情况及显像需求,采用积极地护理干预,在不同的注射部位进行皮下注射。99mTc-硫化锑胶体;40例同期在我科行核素肾动态显像的患者为对照组,静脉注射99mTc-DTPA。观察轻度不良反应的发生情况,评估护理干预在核素淋巴显像中的价值。结果:经过恰当的护理干预,两组患者均成功的完成核素淋巴显像。淋巴显像组轻度不良反应发生率31.25%(10/32),对照组肾动态显像轻度不良反应发生率5%(2/40)。结论:放射性核素淋巴显像护理上对患者的心理安抚,注射部位和注射方法的选择及恰当的护理干预对图像的采集、图像的质量、显像效果,具有特殊意义。     

乳腺癌前哨淋巴结的临床研究

目的：探讨前哨淋巴结活检（sentinel lymph node biopsy，SLNB）在乳腺癌临床应用中的可行性、准确性。方法：术前肿瘤表面或活检腔周围皮内注射99mTc-DX，进行前哨淋巴结（sentinel lymph node，SLN）显像、体表定位；术中r-探测仪识别SLN，先行SLNB，再行乳腺癌根治术或改良根治术，术后对SLN和腋窝淋巴结清扫（axillary Lymph Node Dissectio，ALND）的病理结果进行综合分析。结果：淋巴闪烁显像和r-探测器联合应用检测SLN准确率为96.9％，敏感度为90.9％，假阴性率为9.1％，假阳性率为0。结论：SLNB是乳腺癌治疗中的一项新技术，能高灵敏度反应腋淋巴结状态。     

Finding an optimal method for imaging lymphatic vessels of the upper limb

Lymphoscintigraphy involves interstitial injection of radiolabelled particulate materials or radioproteins. Although several variations in the technique have been described, their place in clinical practice remains controversial. Traditional diagnostic criteria are based primarily on lymph node appearances but in situations such as breast cancer, where lymph nodes may have been excised, these criteria are of limited use. In these circumstances, lymphatic vessel morphology takes on greater importance as a clinical endpoint, so a method that gives good definition of lymphatic vessels would be useful. In patients with breast cancer, for example, such a method, used before and after lymph node resection, may assist in predicting the development of breast cancer-related lymphoedema. The aim of this study was to optimise a method for the visualisation of lymphatic vessels. Subcutaneous (sc) and intradermal (id) injection sites were compared, and technetium-99m nanocolloid, a particulate material, was compared with ^99mTc-human immunoglobulin (HIG), which is a soluble macromolecule. Twelve normal volunteers were each studied on two occasions. In three subjects, id ^99mTc-HIG was compared with sc ^99mTc-HIG, in three id ^99mTc-nanocolloid was compared with sc ^99mTc-nanocolloid, in three id ^99mTc-HIG was compared with id ^99mTc-nanocolloid and in three sc ^99mTc-HIG was compared with sc ^99mTc-nanocolloid. Endpoints were quality of lymphatic vessel definition, the time after injection at which vessels were most clearly visualised, the rate constant of depot disappearance (k) and the systemic blood accumulation rate as measured by gamma camera imaging over the liver or cardiac blood pool. Excellent definition of lymphatic vessels was obtained following id injection of either radiopharmaceutical, an injection route that was clearly superior to sc. Differences between radiopharmaceuticals were less clear, although after id injection, ^99mTc-HIG gave images that were marginally but significantly better than those given by ^99mTc-nanocolloid. Image quality correlated inversely with time after injection at which the best image was obtained, consistent with the notion that good vessel definition was dependent on a narrow bolus width. k was approximately three times higher after id injection than after sc injection but it was not significantly different between radiopharmaceuticals for either injection route. Intradermal ^99mTc-HIG gave a cardiac blood pool signal that, over the first 60 min, increased about five times faster than that with sc ^99mTc-HIG, but no clear difference was observed in the rate of increase in hepatic activity between id ^99mTc-nanocolloid and sc ^99mTc-nanocolloid. We conclude that id injection provides rapid access of radiotracers to lymphatic vessels, which is ideal for imaging lymphatic vessel morphology. ^99mTc-HIG is marginally superior to nanocolloid for this purpose and, in drainage basins from which lymph nodes have been excised, is not handicapped by a potentially inferior ability, compared with radiocolloid, to image lymph nodes.