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Updated: Sep 14, 2026
The Application of 1% Methylene Blue Dye As a Single Technique in Breast Cancer Sentinel Node Biopsy
Published on: June 1, 2019
[Sentinel lymph node biopsy in breast carcinoma: the experience from the Norwegian Radium Hospital]
Svetlana Tafjord1, Hanne Qvist, Trond Velde Bogsrud
1Fagområde patologi, Radiumhospitalet, Oslo.
Background:
We report our experience with sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy in breast carcinoma.
Material And Methods:
The series included 51 women with invasive carcinoma and 3 ductal carcinoma in situ. The first 32 patients underwent axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) independently of the results of the SLN biopsy. SLN was evaluated on frozen sections, paraffin sections and with immunohistochemistry.
Results:
The surgical detection rate was 98 % with a combined technique of radiocolloid and blue dye. Negative SLN was seen in 36 patients. ALND was done in 19 of these patients, with no metastases found in non-SLN. Metastases were found in SLN in 18 patients, in 3 patients detected only on immunohistochemistry. ALND was done in all positive cases. Three patients had positive non-SLN.
Interpretation:
SLN biopsy seems accurate in breast carcinoma, performed with the use of radiotracer and blue dye. Immunohistochemistry increases the sensitivity of SLN biopsy.
