In patients clinically known to have or suspected of having PH, cardiac MR-derived curvature ratio, as compared with RHC measurement, was an accurate and reproducible index for estimation of RVSP.

Breast lymphoscintigraphy is increasingly performed before surgery to delineate the drainage to the sentinel node (SN) in the axilla. On the basis of the histologic status of harvested SNs, the disease status of the entire axilla can be predicted. This prediction allows a more limited dissection to be performed while maintaining staging accuracy comparable with that of classic axillary lymph node dissection. Lymphoscintigraphy assists surgeons in harvesting the SN during gamma probe-assisted axillary biopsy or dissection and provides a wide field of view survey, among other benefits. When certain injection protocols are used, lymphoscintigraphy can be performed in the afternoon before surgery the next morning, thus minimizing disruptions of tight surgical schedules. Image acquisition can be optimized and SN activity can be maximized by means of such factors as parameters for preparation of the radiotracer, injection techniques, energy settings for the gamma camera, breast displacement maneuvers, and techniques for marking and outlining the patient's body. The ultimate goals are to delineate the true SN, maximize activity in the node for facilitated removal (even at next-day surgery), and deliver the information to the surgeon without delaying the surgical schedule.

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The authors report a case of recurrent breast carcinoma in the right chest in a patient who earlier had a right breast mastectomy. Injection of Tc-99m sulfur colloid into the lesion site in the right midchest revealed drainage to a very faint node in the contralateral axilla on the left, an unexpected site, and none to the ipsilateral axilla, the expected site. Disease was found in the left axilla in the sentinel nodes. Lymphoscintigraphy added valuable information in the management of this patient.

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