Background: Although radioguided occult lesion localization (ROLL) has become a widely accepted technique, the optimal time interval between the radioisotope injection and surgery has not yet been determined.
Aim: To delineate the effects of time from the injection of the radionuclide until surgery on the ROLL success rate in a patient population diagnosed as having non-palpable breast cancer.
Methods: Between December 2004 and May 2009, 75 patients underwent ROLL procedure. The day-before protocol and same-day protocols included 50 and 25 breast cancer patients respectively.
Results: The two study groups were comparable in terms of age, localization technique, radiological findings and the type of surgical procedures (P > 0.05). No statistically significant difference was noticed in the pathological diagnosis, cancer size and the surgical margin clearance between the two groups (P > 0.05).
Conclusions: Same-day injection of the radiotracer was not superior to the day-before injection in ROLL. The day-before protocol can be scheduled for the convenience of both patients and hospital staff.
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