Use of USPIO-induced magnetic susceptibility artifacts to identify sentinel lymph nodes and lymphatic drainage patterns. I. Dependence of artifact size with subcutaneous Combidex dose in rats.

Subcutaneously administered Combidex contrast agent produced characteristic magnetic susceptibility artifacts in gradient-echo (GE) images of rat brachial and axillary lymph nodes. These artifacts were useful in the rapid location and identification of normal sentinel lymph nodes. A linear dose response was observed with maximum artifact size in transverse images and was used noninvasively to study lymphatic drainage patterns.