Lymphoscintigraphy

Lymphoscintigraphy is a medical imaging technique used in the field of Nuclear Medicine to visualize the lymphatic system. It is primarily used to evaluate the lymphatic flow and to identify sentinel lymph nodes, especially in patients with breast cancer and melanoma.

Procedure

The procedure of lymphoscintigraphy involves the injection of a radioactive tracer, usually technetium-99m, into the body. The tracer travels through the lymphatic system and emits gamma rays, which are detected by a gamma camera to create images of the lymphatic vessels and nodes.

Uses

Lymphoscintigraphy is used for a variety of purposes in medical diagnostics. It is primarily used to identify sentinel lymph nodes in patients with certain types of cancer. It can also be used to diagnose lymphedema, a condition characterized by swelling in the arms or legs due to a blockage in the lymphatic system.

Risks

As with any medical procedure, there are potential risks associated with lymphoscintigraphy. These include allergic reactions to the radioactive tracer, infection at the injection site, and radiation exposure. However, the amount of radiation used in lymphoscintigraphy is generally low and the benefits of the procedure often outweigh the risks.

See Also

• Nuclear Medicine
• Breast Cancer
• Melanoma
• Lymphedema

Lymphoscintigraphy Resources
Need Help Finding a Doctor? WikiMD's DocFinder can help find general and specialist physicians.	Latest articles Most recent articles Ongoing trials.

This article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.