Objective: This study was designed to review the diagnostic
performance of sentinel node (SN) detection for
assessment of the nodal status in thyroid carcinoma
patients and to determine the technique (using blue dye or
Technetium-99m colloid (99mTc)) that demonstrated the
highest success rate with regard to the detection rate and
sensitivity.
Methods A comprehensive computer literature search of
studies published in English language through December
2007 and regarding SN procedures in patients with thyroid
disorders was performed in MEDLINE. Pooled values
regarding the SN detection rate and the pooled sensitivity
values of the SN procedure were presented with a 95%
confidence interval (CI) for the different SN detection
techniques.
Results: Ultimately, we identified 14 studies comprising a
total of 457 patients. Of these, ten studies (n = 329
patients) used the blue dye technique with a pooled SN
detection of 83% (95% CI, 79β87%). The remaining four
studies (n = 128) used 99mTc-colloid with a pooled SN
detection of 96% (95% CI, 91β99%; p\0.05 vs. blue dye
technique).
Conclusion: In patients with suspected thyroid carcinoma,
SN biopsy demonstrated a higher SN detection rate when
99mTc was used (96%) instead of the blue dye technique
(83%)