![]() “This is the only scanner of its kind scanner in the Netherlands, and it offers unique possibilities for visualising soft tissue, such as the glands in the armpit.” Within the next three years, he hopes to find the 125 patients needed to determine whether such a scan can reliably replace the operation. Trainee radiologist and researcher Dr Thiemo van Nijnatten is part of the large team needed to conduct this research. In the future, we hope to make a reliable picture of the sentinel gland with the PET-MRI scanner and possibly eliminate the need to operate.” A unique scanner for the Netherlands in Maastricht “Imagine having to undergo abdominal surgery for suspected gallstones this is unnecessary, thanks to imaging techniques. “This is even more annoying when there are no metastases”, says Smidt. Despite the apparent success of this “minor procedure”, many women suffer long-term complaints. We remove one or two glands that can reliably predict whether there are metastases.” Hopefully, the PET-MRI scan will succeedĪfter this standard operation, the glands are clean in about eight out of ten cases. The sentinel lymph node operation is comparatively already a major advance. Surgeon and researcher Dr Marjolein Smidt: “In the past, all the armpit glands on the side of the affected breast were removed: the axillary dissection. Even if the ultrasound doesn’t show anything, metastases are found in 20–25% of sentinel lymph node operations. When breast cancer is diagnosed, the next question is: are there metastases? At present, the common imaging technique to investigate this is a traditional ultrasound scan, which is not 100% accurate. It is important to closely follow your doctor's recovery instructions regarding how quickly you can return to your normal activity level, your diet, medication management, as well as care of your incision site.įollow your physician's recommended follow-up schedule and call right away if you experience any severe side effects.Unfortunately, ultrasound is not 100% reliable Your incision site will take a couple weeks to heal, and the scar will fade over time. Your breast and under your arm may feel swollen for two to three days but will be back to normal within a week. While many women do not experience side effects after a sentinel node biopsy, some women have bruising or pain at the incision site and others feel fatigued. Recovery from a sentinel lymph node dissection The lymph nodes will be evaluated by a pathologist for signs of cancer. Once the affected lymph nodes are located, your surgeon will remove them. Your Mercy Health surgeon will then make an incision under the arm to locate the lymph nodes that contain dye. What to expect during a sentinel lymph node dissection?ĭuring a sentinel node biopsy, your surgeon will inject a harmless, radioactive dye into the breast - typically under the areola. Heightened sensitivity or discomfort in the area affected.Numbness in the armpit or under the upper arm.Side effects of a sentinel node dissection include: What are the side effects of sentinel lymph node dissection? Lymphedema commonly occurs in the breast or underarm and can cause numbness or weakness in the affected area. In addition, sentinel lymph node dissection is associated with lower risk of lymphedema (buildup of lymph fluid in the body’s soft tissues). The procedure gives your doctor the information they need with the least surgery and risk. Therefore, other healthy lymph nodes are not unnecessarily removed. Your surgeon only needs to remove one to three lymph nodes to determine if the breast cancer has spread to the underarm lymph nodes. Benefits of sentinel lymph node dissection Mercy Health surgeons have extensive training and experience performing this complicated procedure. It is important to have this procedure done with an experienced surgeon. ![]() Patients with DCIS that was treated with a lumpectomy.Women who have a cancerous tumor over 5 cm large and the cancer has spread extensively into the lymph nodes.Women who have undergone neoadjuvant therapy (chemotherapy before surgery).DCIS is a cancer where malignant cells are found in the breast milk duct lining ![]()
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