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Sentinel lymph node mapping by near‐infrared fluorescence imaging and contrast‐enhanced ultrasound in healthy dogs
Author(s) -
Favril Sophie,
Stock Emmelie,
Hernot Sophie,
Hesta Myriam,
Polis Ingeborgh,
Vanderperren Katrien,
de Rooster Hilde
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
veterinary and comparative oncology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.864
H-Index - 34
eISSN - 1476-5829
pISSN - 1476-5810
DOI - 10.1111/vco.12449
Subject(s) - indocyanine green , sentinel lymph node , medicine , microbubbles , ultrasound , fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy , radiology , contrast enhanced ultrasound , lymphatic system , biomedical engineering , pathology , fluorescence , breast cancer , cancer , physics , quantum mechanics
Sentinel lymph node (SLN) mapping is a valuable and crucial diagnostic procedure in staging malignancies. We compared two non‐invasive techniques, near‐infrared (NIR) fluorescence imaging and contrast‐enhanced ultrasound (CEUS), to identify the SLNs in three superficial anatomical regions in an animal model. Six healthy laboratory dogs were included in a proof‐of‐concept trial. A NIR fluorescent dye (Indocyanine Green) and microbubbles (Sonovue) were consecutively injected subdermally in the Inguinal, axillary and popliteal region to map the SLNs. Transcutaneous NIR fluorescence imaging identified SLNs in 17 out of a total of 18 occasions. CEUS identified SLNs in all regions (18/18). Whereas NIR fluorescence imaging performed better in the visualization of the afferent lymphatic tract, CEUS demonstrated different filling patterns of the SLNs, a feature potentially critical for the concept of SLN mapping in cancer patients. Both NIR fluorescence imaging and CEUS are safe, non‐invasive, practical and accurate methods to perform real‐time transcutaneous SLN mapping with potential in a clinical setting.