Application of Lymphoscintigraphy and Blue Dye Method in Sentinel Lymph Node Location of Breast Cancer

ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical application of lymphoscintigraphy and blue dye method in sentinel lymph node(SLN) location of breast cancer. MethodsOne hundred and ninety-one breast cancer patients underwent 99mTc-DX lymphoscintigraphy and blue dye method to locate sentinel lymph node, and then underwent sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB). ResultsThe detectable rate of SLN for lymphoscintigraphy was 86.9% (166/191), the rate for blue dye method was 83.8% (160/191), and the rate for lymphoscintigraphy combined with blue dye method was 96.3% (184/191). The positive rate of combined detectable method was significantly higher than that of lymphoscintigraphy or blue dye method (P<0.05). There was no significant difference of detectable rate between lymphoscintigraphy and blue dye method. The detectable rate was unrelated to patient's age, medical history, biopsy, tumor location, clinical stage, pathology and immunohistochemical result（P>0.05）. ConclusionLymphoscintigraphy or blue dye method or combined method could be used to locate SLN, furthermore the combined method was the best one to identify SLNB.