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Ovarian Sentinel Node: Is It Feasible?
  1. Reita H. Nyberg, MD*,
  2. Pasi Korkola, Lic Tech, MD, PhD and
  3. Johanna Mäenpää*,
  1. *Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tampere University Hospital;
  2. Department of Nuclear Medicine, Medical Imaging Centre, Pirkanmaa Hospital District; and
  3. Medical School, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland.
  1. Address correspondence and reprint requests to Reita Nyberg, MD, P.O. Box 2000, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tampere University Hospital, 33521 Tampere, Finland. E-mail: reita.nyberg{at}pshp.fi.

Abstract

Objective To examine whether the intraoperative combined injection technique is feasible in locating the sentinel node(s) of the ovary.

Methods/Materials In 16 patients with high-risk uterine cancer and normal postmenopausal ovaries, technetium isotope and blue dye were injected in the right or left ovary during laparotomy, respectively. During the operation, the pelvic and para-aortic lymphatic areas were searched, and the number, method of detection, and location(s) of the hot and/or blue node(s) were recorded.

Results One to 3 sentinel nodes per patient were identified in all but 1 patient (15 of 16, 94%). The sentinel nodes (n = 30) were all located in the para-aortic area. The sentinel nodes of the left ovary were mainly (9 of 14, 64%) located above the inferior mesenteric artery level, as the most sentinel nodes of the right ovary (15 of 16, 94%) were found below the inferior mesenteric artery level (P = 0.001). There were no contralateral or bilateral sentinel nodes.

Conclusions The combined intraoperative injection technique with radioisotope and blue dye is fast enough to identify the ovarian sentinel node(s). The stained nodes were consistently located on a certain lymphatic area. The sentinel node concept for the early ovarian cancer deserves more attention.

  • Sentinel lymph node
  • Ovary
  • Early ovarian cancer
  • Blue dye
  • Radioisotope

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Footnotes

  • The authors do not declare any commercial interest and have not received any financial or material support or funding for this study.