Contribution of perioperative imaging to radioguided surgery

Radioguided surgery has been investigated and applied to almost any neoplastic disease that is surgically treated. The impact of radioguided surgery on the surgical management of cancer patients includes relevant and real-time information to the surgeon regarding the location and extent of the disease, as well as regarding the assessment of surgical resection margins. Despite the fact that sentinel lymph node biopsy has been worldwide accepted as a highly accurate staging method for various solid cancers (among which breast cancer and cutaneous melanoma), some potential intraoperative drawbacks still remain. This article provides an update on currently available perioperative techniques regarding the use of radiotracers for radioguided surgery and sentinel lymph node mapping and biopsy, in particular in combination with vital dyes or other agents. The integration of computer technology and data processing makes it possible to integrate anatomic and functional images together with 3D rendering systems. This facilitates the targeted-tissue perioperative localization, especially in anatomically complex areas. Furthermore, we provide an update on advances in the integration of intraoperative imaging devices as well as optical tracers for the surgical management of patients. Evidence is emerging that these devices, together with new potential tracers, may improve intraoperative identification of sentinel nodes and/or tumors. A detailed presentation on a portable gamma camera in breast cancer patients, and the application of perioperative imaging devices in gynaecological cancers are included. Other important procedures, such as ROLL and RSL for occult lesion excision in the breast and other organs, are extensively discussed.