Metastases in Nodes Other Than That with Highest Radioactivity
| Lymphatic basin | Hottest node* | Metastatic node* | Relative to hottest node (%) | Order of harvesting | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Axilla | 1,356 | 1,200 | 88.40 | Second of 3 | PATH+/RT-PCR+ |
| Parotid | 68 | 34 | 50.00 | Second of 2 | PATH−/RT-PCR+ |
| Axilla | 832 | 322 | 38.70 | Second of 3 | PATH+/RT-PCR+ |
| Axilla | 455 | 160 | 35.10 | Third of 4 | PATH+/RT-PCR+ |
| Axilla | 900 | 300 | 33.30 | Second of 3 | PATH+/RT-PCR+ |
↵* Ex vivo counting rate measured intraoperatively with handheld γ-probe; counts/10 s.
PATH+ = PATH-positive; PCR+ = PCR-positive.
In these patients, presence of metastasis would have been missed if only hottest node had been harvested for analysis.