[Lymphoscintigraphy of separate lymph nodes for radiotherapy planning in breast cancer]

Determination of lymph flow from breast cancer can be used as effective tool for individualization of radiation portals for regional radiotherapy. We evaluated this technique in 86 patients with lymph nodes (LN) scintigraphy which was performed 20-240 min after intratumoural injection of 50-100 MBq of 99mTc-nanocolloids. After visualisation of lymph flow patterns standard radiation portals were modified in 75% of patients with external and 85%--with internal localisation of primary tumours, In addition we recognised that extent and wideness of radiation portals for internal mammary lymph LN must be arranged in accordance with individual lymph flow pattern. In particularly irradiation of LN on both sides of the sternum was performed only in 3 of 27 (11%) evaluated cases.