Sentinel lymphoscintigraphy in oral carcinoma: a clinical report of 10 cases / 华西口腔医学杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>UNLABELLED</b>OBJECTIVE; To determine the clinical value of preoperative in vivo location of sentinel lymph node (SLN) by lymphoscintigraphy (LS) in oral carcinoma.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>10 patients with oral carcinoma were included in this study (7 male to 3 female). 99mTc-dextron was injected peritumorally 24 h before surgery. Lymphoscintigraphy images were obtained in anterior and lateral views. SLNs were detected and removed with the aid of dye during surgery. A standard radical neck dissection was then performed, and all lymph nodes were analyzed by HE staining.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>SLNs were successfully detected in 10 regions of 8 patients via lymphoscintigraphy. Consistent with the result of LS, 15 blue-stained SLNs were identified by means of dye method in 8 of 10 regions which the LS images indicated.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>This study suggests that preoperative in vivo location of SLN via lymphoscintigraphy should be helpful for the application of SLNB in oral carcinoma.</p>