technetium-99m sulfur colloid + methylene blue

Technetium-99m sulfur colloid + methylene blue is a combination used for sentinel lymph node biopsy procedures, particularly in breast cancer and melanoma patients. The technetium-99m sulfur colloid component is a radioactive diagnostic agent that localizes in lymph nodes draining a primary tumor, while methylene blue is a vital blue dye that provides visual identification of lymph nodes. This dual-tracer approach enhances the ability to detect sentinel lymph nodes during surgery. The radioactive component emits gamma radiation at 140 keV with a physical half-life of approximately 6 hours, allowing detection with a hand-held gamma counter, while the blue dye enables visual identification of nodes during surgery.

Other names

T99 radiocolloid + methylene bluetechnetium-99m radiocolloid + methylene bluedual tracer (Tc-99m sulfur colloid and methylene blue)