Mastery of Lymphatic Mapping

MASTERY OF LYMPHATIC MAPPING covers the new procedure for testing the lymph nodes to provide nodal staging of breast cancer, melanoma, colon cancer and some endocrine tumors. The currect standard procedure is to remove the entire system of lymph nodes, subjecting the patient to such risks as lymphedema, a debilitating and long-term swelling of the arm. In lymphatic mapping, blue dye and radioactive materials are injected into the tumor. If the cancer has metastisized, i. e. spread to the lymph nodes, the dye and radioactive materials will be taken up by the lypmphatic fluids. Through the use of imaging technology and hand-held gamma probes, the surgeons can determine if the blue dye is in the sentinel (first) node. If it is not, the patient is spared the removal of the lymph nodes. If the first nodes show evidence of blue dye or radiactivity, then the cancer has most likely spread into the nodes and all of the nodes are removed for pathologic evaluation. Because lymphatic mapping is a recently developed technique, most surgeons have not learned this technique during their formal training years.
Therefore, it is imperative that a book entirely dedicated to the theory and practice of lymphatic mapping be available. This monograph discusses the preclinical studies supporting lymphatic mapping, the components of an integrated lymphatic mapping program (Nuclear medicine; Surgery, Diagnostic imaging; Pathology; and Data management and evaluation), technical details of melanoma, breast, endocrine, GI cancer, as well applications in the parathyroid, lung, gynecologic and genitourinary areas. Additional dicussions include pathalogic evaluation of the Sentinel Node, training and accredition for lymphatic mapping, and radiation safety issues. The contributors include the top pioneers in the field whose expertise is well established. The book also offers a full-color art program.