Aim: This study aimed at evaluating the performance of an intraoperative gamma camera, named CarolIReS, to detect axillary drainage and to assess the removal of sentinel lymph nodes (SLN) in breast surgery.
Patients and methods: SLN biopsy was performed on 25 patients and the CarolIReS camera was used preoperatively to localize SLNs. During surgery, individual removal of SLNs was performed using a gamma probe and their activity was measured with a gamma ray counter. At the end of surgery, the CarolIReS camera was used again to check the quality of surgery which was followed by surgical excision for remaining SLNs.
Results: The detection efficiency of the CarolIReS camera was 2.2 cps/kBq for 99"Tc activity in SLNs. In one case, it allowed the detection of a residual SLN with a low activity (0.5 kBq) which was massively metastatic.
Conclusion: Intraoperative cameras could be used to improve the efficiency of the SLN procedure.
Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00357487.