Gammaprobes for intraoperative localization of radioactive labelled sentinel-lymphnodes, tumours and metastases

Measurement principles for gamma probes for localizing radioactively labelled tissues are described. Methods for low energy radiation emitting nuclides (99mTc, 140 keV) are discussed as well as for high energy radiation nuclides (18F, 511 keV). Regarding the localization of 99mTc-labelled sentinel lymph nodes minimal requirements based on defined quality criteria were derived. The quality criteria of gamma probes available in Germany were determined. As a result of this it became clear that also gamma probes are used which performance characteristics are not adapted to the situation in sentinel lymph node diagnostics. The suitability of these probes to reliably localize SLN is doubtful. (orig.)