Sentinel lymph node detection in canine oncological patients

Sentinel lymph node detection was investigated in dogs with spontaneously occurring tumours. In this pilot study, 24 client-owned spontaneously tumorous dogs presented for sentinel lymph node detection. A multiple method was used with a nuclear medicine technique (injection of 99mTc human serum albumin colloid) with scintigraphy and intraoperative guidance, and blue dye injection. Of the 35 lymph nodes histologically demonstrated to contain metastases, 34 (97%) were found by radioguided surgery, which means that one would have been missed in the intraoperative localisation process; 31 nodes (89%) were clearly visualised in the gamma camera images; only 27 (77%) were blue-stained by vital dye; a mere 8 lymph nodes (23%) were enlarged and therefore easily detectable by palpation. Data obtained from the harmless application of the sentinel node concept are useful for the radiopharmaceutist. The sentinel lymph node concept is well applicable in the veterinary clinic. (author)