Is the upright position more sensitive than the supine position in breast cancer sentinel node lymphoscintigraphy?
PURPOSE: The authors compared the supine and standing positions for lymphoscintigraphy in breast cancer patients to identify any changes in the number of affected lymph nodes detected and the quality of images. METHODS: Twenty-three patients were examined using lymphoscintigraphy in both positions. Sequential supine, standing, and supine oblique images were acquired in each patient. RESULTS: The number of lymph nodes detected or the quality of the images acquired was improved in 20 of the 23 patients in the standing position compared with the supine position. The remaining three patients’ images were judged to be equal in lymph node number and image quality in both positions. CONCLUSIONS: Lymphoscintigraphy in patients with breast cancer appears to be more sensitive in the standing than in the supine position.
