OBJECTIVETo study the value of single photon emission-computed tomography (SPECT) lymphatic imaging by percutaneous injection of 99mTc-DX105 in detecting cervical lymph node metastasis of laryngeal and hypopharyngeal carcinoma.METHODOne-three days before the operation, 185MBq 99mTc-DX105 was injected via bilateral mastoids portion percutaneously in each of 30 patients with laryngeal and hypopharyngeal carcinoma, and thus SPECT lymphatic imaging was conducted. Then, the diagnostic result was compared with those of pathological examination of neck dissection specimens.RESULTIn SPECT lymphatic imaging of 53 sides neck of 30 patients, 24 sides cervical lymph node were positive, and 3 sides were false positive; 29 sides cervical lymph node were negative, and 1 side was false negative, Sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of SPECT lymphatic imaging were 95.5% (21/22), 90.3% (28/31) and 92.5% (49/53) respectively. Among the 8 sides cervical lymph node metastasis which were false negative by clinical palpation, 7 sides were positive by SPECT lymphatic imaging.CONCLUSIONIt is suggested that SPECT lymphatic imaging by percutaneous injection of 99mTc-DX105 in detecting cervical lymph node metastasis of laryngeal and hypopharyngeal carcinoma is pretty valuable for guiding clinical neck node dissection.
