Radio guided surgeries: present and future of interventionist nuclear medicine

The aim of the study is to demonstrate the utility of radio guided surgeries in medical practice, for some specific pathologies (neoplastic, tumoral). Material, methodology and patients: a combined technique was applied: pre-surgery localizing (diagnostic) scintigraphy and afterwards, radio guided surgery. Radiopharmaceuticals were used as metabolic tracers (radiocolloids, difosfonates and sesta-MIBI labeled with 99mTc), Gamma camera, for pre-surgery localization and detection of the disease, and a Gamma Probe to asses intra surgery detection. One hundred and thirteen patients were included in the series and the dates were analysed. Results: Sensitivity 97.8%, Surgical accuracy 98%; Positive Predictive Value 100% for this methodology and series. Conclusions: Radio guided surgery is an easy and simple technique; Surgical accuracy is optimized; reduces surgical time al nd makes possible the utilization of local anesthesia; Reduces post-surgical morbidity (selective node dissection, minimal incision); Reduces cost (local anesthesia, reduction hospitalization, rapid work insertion). (author)