Sentinel lymph node detection with the use of SPECT-CT in endometrial cancer – analysis of two cases

Abstract

On the basis of two cases we discuss the important issues regarding the sentinel lymph node detection biopsy (SLNB) in endometrial cancer with combined cervical administration of the radiocolloid and the subserosal blue dye injection. The first patient (endometrioid adenocarcinoma G2, invasion >50% myometrium) had 4 SLNs detected. Three were both hot and blue (detected on SPECT-CT). The fourth, paraaortic SLN was blue only. None of the lymph nodes contained metatstases. The second patient (endometrioid adenocarcinoma G1, invasion >50% myometrium) had 4 SLNs detected. Three were blue (but two of them had also very low radioactivity). The fourth SLN was hot only. Blue only node contained macrometastasis. In the past patients underwent cervical amputation. Diverse distribution of each tracer confirms the advantages of the combined tracers administration in SLNB. The radiotracer is the crucial component - uptake was present in 6 of 8 SLNs. Although the blue dye is more a complimentary method, its suberosal injection significantly increases the safety of the SLNB procedure. In the first case we have detected blue only SLN in paraaortic region which otherwise would be missed using the cervical approach only. More importantly, in the second case the tracer uptake was very limited due to the previous surgery and the blue dye administration allowed correct SLNs detection (including the metastatic node). Presented clinical cases confirms that the combined cervical and subserosal tracers administration together with preoperative SPECT-CT constitute an optimal SLN detection method and correctly provides information about the regional lymph node status.