Assay/ Test

Sentinel lymph node

Key Words

LN

Specimen Collection

Tissue in Formalin filled pot (10 x volume to specimen)

Turnaround time

Urgent cases:         7 days from receipt

Suspected cancer:  7 days from receipt

Routine sample:     10 days from receipt

Cases may require further tests and will be referred to other laboratories depending on their speciality. Click on link to view department’s referral centres

Test indications

Used in the investigation of suspected metastasis from primary cancer site using a radioactive marker

Interferences

Click on link to view routine Histology specimens for further information.

Sentinel lymph nodes are received as part of a breast specimen case, as multiple samples or as a stand- alone case. These specimens differ from other tissue types as the patient receives a small amount of radioactive isotope before surgery.
 
There is no risk in collection, transportation or processing these specimen as the radioactive half- life of the isotope is small. All material received in the laboratory is monitored and disposed of separately from all other specimens.
 
Due to the half- life of the radioactive isotope, it is vitally important the clinical details contain the amount of isotope the patient received and when the patient was injected. If these details are not on the specimen form, it could delay the turnaround time of the case.

Reference Range

N/A

Analytical error

N/A

Reference change value

N/A