The combination of ultrasound and magnetic resonance lymphangiography (MRL) may be a viable option for detecting sentinel lymph nodes in breast cancer metastasis, according to a study published in Gland Surgery.
This analysis comprised 432 female breast cancer patients who underwent modified radical mastectomy between January 2016 and January 2019. The population of interest was divided into 3 groups: ultrasound plus MRL with contrast injection outside the areola (Group A), ultrasound plus MRL with contrast injection around the areola (Group B), and ultrasound plus MRL with patients from Groups A and B (Group C).
The study found that the accuracy among the 3 groups was markedly different, but ultrasound plus MRL demonstrated a better overall detection rate (56%) and better diagnosed accuracy (95.83%) compared with standard-of-care measures.
Reference: He Y, Liu O, Su J, Hong Q, Li M. Sentinel lymph node metastasis diagnosis using ultrasound plus magnetic resonance lymphangiography in breast cancer. Gland Surg. 2022;11(6):1094-1102. doi:10.21037/gs-22-292
