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Table 5 The visualization rate on lymphoscintigraphy according to the number of lymph nodes removed in prior surgery

From: Altered lymphatic drainage patterns in re-operative sentinel lymph node biopsy for ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence

Number of lymph nodes removed in prior surgery

The visualization rate of re-SLNsa

Non-AX groupb

 0

100% (12/12)

 1–2

94.3% (33/35)

 3–6

93.8% (30/32)

AX groupc

 8–19

91.7% (22/24)

 20 or greater

71.4% (20/28)

  1. are-SLNs: re-operative sentinel lymph nodes
  2. bnon-AX group: patients with previous SLNB and no previous axillary surgery
  3. cAX group: patients with previous axillary lymph node dissection
  4. Number of lymph nodes which had been removed in prior surgery was unknown in two patients of non-AX group and three patients of AX group
  5. The visualization rate was associated with the number of lymph nodes which had been removed in the prior surgery. Lymphatic drainage was visualized in all patients who had not undergone previous axillary surgery. The visualization rate was markedly low in patients in whom 20 or more lymph nodes had been removed in prior surgery