Mona P Tan1, Zhen Bi2, Eugene M W Ong3. 1. Breast Surgical Oncology, MammoCare, Singapore, 38 Irrawaddy Road, #06-21, Singapore 329563, Republic of Singapore. Electronic address: jabezhopems@gmail.com. 2. The Orchard Imaging Centre, Asiamedic Limited, Singapore, Republic of Singapore. 3. Department of Radiology, Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital, Singapore, Republic of Singapore.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: A targeted surgical approach which accurately determines axillary status after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) may allow appropriate de-escalation of surgical treatment. It is postulated that the combined use of a particular marker clip, ULTRACOR®TWIRL™ (Bard, Inc.), and specific ultrasound settings for its identification, may overcome the challenges of pre-operative localisation with size diminution of nodes following NAC. Hence, this feasibility study was performed. METHODS: Three patients with locally advanced breast cancer (LABC), who had the Twirl marker clip placed in biopsy-proven metastatic axillary lymph nodes and completed treatment were included in this preliminary study. Preoperative sonographic identification of the clip and associated node was done on the day of surgery, confirmed by eliciting the 'twinkle' artifact, followed by hookwire localisation and resection. The 'twinkle' artifact was demonstrated within each specimen after resection. RESULTS: All three patients who completed treatment for LABC had successful identification and resection of clipped node aided by the 'twinkle artifact'. CONCLUSION: The 'twinkle' artifact is a novel and useful aid in identifying the Twirl™ clip marking a lymph node in the post-NAC setting, with the potential to be used intraoperatively.
OBJECTIVES: A targeted surgical approach which accurately determines axillary status after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) may allow appropriate de-escalation of surgical treatment. It is postulated that the combined use of a particular marker clip, ULTRACOR®TWIRL™ (Bard, Inc.), and specific ultrasound settings for its identification, may overcome the challenges of pre-operative localisation with size diminution of nodes following NAC. Hence, this feasibility study was performed. METHODS: Three patients with locally advanced breast cancer (LABC), who had the Twirl marker clip placed in biopsy-proven metastatic axillary lymph nodes and completed treatment were included in this preliminary study. Preoperative sonographic identification of the clip and associated node was done on the day of surgery, confirmed by eliciting the 'twinkle' artifact, followed by hookwire localisation and resection. The 'twinkle' artifact was demonstrated within each specimen after resection. RESULTS: All three patients who completed treatment for LABC had successful identification and resection of clipped node aided by the 'twinkle artifact'. CONCLUSION: The 'twinkle' artifact is a novel and useful aid in identifying the Twirl™ clip marking a lymph node in the post-NAC setting, with the potential to be used intraoperatively.
Authors: Christine U Lee; Matthew W Urban; A Lee Miller; Susheil Uthamaraj; James W Jakub; Gina K Hesley; Benjamin G Wood; Nathan J Brinkman; James L Herrick; Nicholas B Larson; Michael J Yaszemski; James F Greenleaf Journal: Eur Radiol Exp Date: 2022-06-17