Abstract

Near-infrared fluorescence (NIR) imaging is a new technique for intraoperative identification of sentinel lymph nodes (SLN). It has shown promising results in several surgical specialties. This article reviews the current study situation of NIR SLN diagnosis of head and neck malignancy. Systematic literature search in the following online databases: PubMed, MEDLINE, Thompson Reuters Web of Science, SPIE for the search terms: sentinel node, sentinel node biopsy, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, near-infrared imaging, indocyanine green, icg. Evaluation of scientific relevance of papers according to established criteria. Studies were analyzed in terms of clinical application, clinical reporting, identification rate, and false-negative rate. The identification rate of SLN is 97-100 %, with an average of 1.2-3.4 fluorescence positive lymph nodes per examination. The overall false-negative rate varies between 0 and 20 %. In the synopsis of the currently published results, NIR imaging promises the great potential to improve the diagnosis of SLN in carcinomas of the oral cavity and pharynx. A simple and fast procedure with high spatial resolution and without radiation exposure is beneficial.

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.