Lymph Nodes Mapping
Cancers can spread either by haematogenous (blood) routes to bones, lungs, liver, or brain or by lymphatic routes to lymph nodes.
Assessment of skeletal spread is by bone scan scintigraphy. Assessment of lymph nodes in many cases still requires surgical biopsy. With Lymphoscintigraphy the lymphatic flow is visualised and the sentinel lymph node (SLN) on a direct drainage pathway from the primary tumour is identified and located.
What to expect
There are no preparations or restrictions before or after a lymphoscintigraphy scan. You are able to drive, eat and drink as normal. If going to surgery immediately after the scan there will be restrictions associated with the surgery, so follow any instructions given to you by your doctor.
Having the scan itself is just a matter of lying on the scanning bed for about 30-40 minutes whilst the technologist moves the camera to various positions around your body.
Whilst the scan is an easy procedure, the introduction of the radiopharmaceutical does involve several injections around the tumour site which does sting a bit at the time. There is no lingering pain and this injection procedure is over and done with in about 5 minutes.
On completion of the scan the technologist may mark with a felt tip pen some dots on your skin to help guide the surgeon to the location of the sentinel lymph node. A copy of the scan is usually given to you to take with you to give to the surgeon that afternoon or the following day.
For most appointments allow about one hour. On some occasions delayed pictures are required which means the appointment could take 2 to 2½ hours.
There are no side affects from this procedure and you are able proceed as normal after the scan.
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Lymph Nodes Mapping(PDF, 536 KB)
Why Lymphoscintigraphy? What does the scan involve?
What preparation or restrictions are necessary? How long does it take?
Why Lymphoscintigraphy? What does the scan involve?
What preparation or restrictions are necessary? How long does it take?
