Lymphoscintigraphy

Also known as: sentinel lymph node mapping.

What is lymphoscintigraphy?

Lymphoscintigraphy is a special type of noninvasive nuclear medical test that is used to provide images and to map and identify any blockages in lymphatic flow and to identify abnormal lymph nodes (glands).

What happens during the procedure?

• Your child will be asked to lie down on an examination table
• A very small amount of radioactive material known as a radiotracer will be injected under the skin using very small needles after a small amount of topical anesthetic has been applied to reduce the pain of injection.
• The tracer will travel into your child’s lymphatic system where it can be detected with the use of a gamma camera.
• During this time (a few minutes) your child will need to stay very still.

Is any special preparation needed?

Usually no special preparation is necessary.

What are the risk factors?

The radiotracer injected during lymphoscintigraphy has been used for many years with no known complications.

Reviewed by: Jack Wolfsdorf, MD, FAAP

This page was last updated on: April 06, 2021 10:19 AM