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Breast Cancer Treatment (PDQ®)
Patient Version   Health Professional Version   En español   Last Modified: 04/24/2009

Sentinel lymph node biopsy.  First of three panel illustration showing radioactive substance and/or blue dye is injected near the tumor, the injected material is followed visually or with a probe, and the first lymph nodes to take up the material are removed and checked for cancer cells.

Sentinel lymph node biopsy.  Second of three panel illustration showing radioactive substance and/or blue dye is injected near the tumor, the injected material is followed visually or with a probe, and the first lymph nodes to take up the material are removed and checked for cancer cells.

Sentinel lymph node biopsy.  Third of three panel illustration showing radioactive substance and/or blue dye is injected near the tumor, the injected material is followed visually or with a probe, and the first lymph nodes to take up the material are removed and checked for cancer cells.

Sentinel lymph node biopsy. Radioactive substance and/or blue dye is injected near the tumor (first panel), the injected material is followed visually or with a probe (middle panel), and the first lymph nodes to take up the material are removed and checked for cancer cells (last panel).


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