Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Using indocyanine green to find lymph nodes in dogs with mammary
By Kim, Seungwook & Lee, Sungin·Published in Scientific reports·2025·Department of Veterinary Surgery, South Korea·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Utilization of indocyanine green for intraoperative sentinel lymph node mapping in canine mammary tumors.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 24 female dogs with malignant mammary tumors underwent surgery to remove the tumors and check nearby lymph nodes for cancer spread. Researchers used a special dye called indocyanine green (ICG) to help visualize the lymphatic system during the surgery. The results showed that using ICG made it easier to identify the sentinel lymph nodes, with a success rate of 94.4%. The best concentration of ICG led to the quickest surgeries and no missed lymph nodes. This technique helps ensure that the cancer is accurately staged, which can lead to better treatment outcomes.
People also search for: dog mammary tumor treatment · indocyanine green for dogs · sentinel lymph node biopsy in dogs
Abstract
Accurate staging by sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy is essential for improving prognostic outcomes of canine mammary tumors (CMT). Indocyanine green near-infrared fluorescence (ICG-NIRF) imaging offers a novel real-time approach for SLN mapping, potentially enhancing the precision of surgical SLN biopsies. This study evaluated the effectiveness of transcutaneous ICG-NIRF imaging in identifying lymphatic drainage pathways and SLNs in CMT and determined the optimal ICG concentration for visualizing lymphatic channels and SLNs. We hypothesized that transcutaneous ICG-NIRF imaging effectively highlights both lymphatic channels and SLNs, facilitating accurate SLN biopsies. This study included 24 female dogs with cytologically diagnosed malignant CMT, from September 2023 to April 2024. ICG was injected peritumorally (concentrations: 0.5, 1.0, and 2.5 mg/mL). NIRF imaging was conducted intraoperatively to visualize lymphatic drainage and identify SLNs. Data on signal-to-background ratio of lymphatic drainage and SLN and operation time were collected and analyzed using ANOVA and post-hoc Tukey tests. The detection rate of SLNs using ICG-NIRF was 94.4% (34/36). Highest LN fluorescence (p = 0.030) and shortest operation time (p = 0.002) were yielded by 1.0 mg/mL ICG, with minimal false-negative rates (0%, 0/18). ICG-NIRF imaging enhances the accuracy of sentinel lymph node mapping in CMT by enabling real-time visualization of lymphatic drainage, optimizing lymph node biopsy selection, and improving surgical precision, thereby contributing to more accurate tumor staging and better prognostic assessment.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40064931/