Transcutaneous contrast-enhanced sonography for diagnosis of sentinel lymph nodes in early breast cancer

Disease stage and especially condition of the sentinel lymph node (SLN) assessed in patients with breast cancer prior to treatment are among the most important prognostic factors. SLN is the first lymph node in the regional lymph node system receiving lymph outflow from the primary tumor. SLN biopsy with blue dye gradually replaced traditional axillary lymph node dissection as the standard of treatment of early breast cancer. In the recent years, technique of contrast-enhanced sonography with microbubble contrast agents for examination of the lymph system has been studied both in animal and human trials.Aim of the review is to investigate the effectiveness of transcutaneous contrast-enhanced sonography of the SLN for biopsy and for diagnosis of metastatic SLNs using methylene blue as the standard in patients with early breast cancer.

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