Sentinel node and positron emission tomography mapping in lung cancer.

Radioguided lymph node mapping can potentially improve staging in locoregional non-small cell lung cancer. This is accomplished by using advanced pathologic techniques to detect micrometastases in selected thoracic lymph nodes. The use of isosulfan blue, technetium-99m and (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) as mapping agents have been reported. Despite several limitations in this technique, it may facilitate the selection of patients for novel therapies, resulting in improved outcomes for lung cancer patients. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.