Cattin F, Fogacci T,Frisoni G, Fabiocchi L, Dellachiesa L, Semprini G and Samorani D
Introduction: Scientific evidence shows how ICG sensibility and specificity is comparable to 99Tc, and in many Breast Units ICG has become the gold standard for sentinel lymph node detection. Aim of this study is a cost-effectiveness analysis of the sentinel lymph node detection pathway using ICG, compared to the 99Tc one.
Materials and methods: 291 patients received a 99Tc injection the day before surgery and an ICG one in the OP day. As in our hospital a Nuclear Medicine Department does not exist, patients had to undergo an adjunctive travel in order to receive Technetium. We calculated costs of the whole Technetium procedure as like as the costs of the ICG one.
Results: The overall amount of costs of the Technetium injection has been equal to 450363,62€. The ICG pathway has had an overall cost of 98668,7€, equal to a 21.9% of the Technetium expenses.
Discussion: According to the Law, Technetium may be managed only in a Nuclear medicine department. This is the reason why Patients undergo a sometimes long travel to reach one. This traffic represents a cost for Patients and a work overload for the hospital structures. Indocyanine green allows to avoid a travel to the Nuclear Medicine and to spare a big amount of costs.
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