Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 27, 2026
05:59
Blocking Lymph Flow by Suturing Afferent Lymphatic Vessels in Mice
Published on: May 14, 2020
Lymphatic mapping with 99mTc-Evans Blue dye in sheep.
Chris Tsopelas1, Max Bellon, Elaine Bevington
1Nuclear Medicine Department, Royal Adelaide Hospital, North Terrace, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia. Chris.Tsopelas@health.sa.gov.au
Annals of Nuclear Medicine
|November 29, 2008
Summary
99mTc-Evans Blue (EB) is a dual-signal agent effective for mapping lymphatic systems and identifying sentinel lymph nodes in sheep. It offers simultaneous radioactive and color detection, improving surgical guidance compared to traditional methods.
Area of Science:
- Nuclear Medicine
- Surgical Navigation
- Animal Models
Background:
- Sentinel lymph node biopsy is crucial for cancer staging.
- Current methods often involve dual injections of radiocolloids and dyes.
- 99mTc-Evans Blue (EB) offers a single-dose agent with both radioactive and colorimetric properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate 99mTc-EB as a lymphoscintigraphic agent in an ovine model.
- To compare its efficacy with 99mTc-antimony trisulfide colloid (ATC) and Patent Blue V dye.
- To assess its ability to map lymphatic drainage and identify sentinel lymph nodes.
Main Methods:
- Intradermal injection of 99mTc-EB, 99mTc-ATC, and Patent Blue V dye into sheep limbs.
- Gamma camera imaging over 20-30 minutes post-injection.
- Identification and dissection of lymph nodes (popliteal, inguinal, iliac, prescapular) using a gamma probe.
Main Results:
- Both 99mTc-EB and 99mTc-ATC successfully visualized lymphatic drainage patterns and identified sentinel nodes.
- 99mTc-EB demonstrated rapid uptake, with maximum radioactivity achieved between 3-14 minutes depending on node location.
- All 15 lymph nodes harvested after 99mTc-EB injection were both radioactive and blue, while 99mTc-radiocolloid/Patent Blue V resulted in some nodes being only radioactive.
Conclusions:
- 99mTc-EB is a viable lymphoscintigraphic agent in sheep, enabling planar imaging of lymphatic channels and nodes.
- It effectively discriminates sentinel lymph nodes, similar to 99mTc-ATC.
- 99mTc-EB provides the advantage of simultaneous radioactive and visual (color) guidance during surgery.
