This study was undertaken to assess the feasibility of lymphoscintigraphy of the gastric cardia and to identify the incidence of paraesophageal lymphatic drainage, precluding total gastrectomy with esophagojejunostomy as a potentially curative therapy for gastric cardia cancer.
Methods: Ten patients scheduled for esophagectomy with high-grade dysplasia or with esophageal cancer at least 3 cm above the esophagogastric junction were enrolled in this study. Preoperatively, 111 MBq of(99m)Tc-labeled nanocolloid (n = 5) or sulfur colloid (n = 5) were injected into the submucosa of the tumor-free cardia. Subsequently, lymphoscintigraphy in combination with CT was obtained. Locoregional lymph node stations were measured for radioactivity by a gamma-probe intraoperatively and ex vivo in the resection specimen.
Results: In each patient, at least 1 radioactive lymph node station was detected. In total, 42 radioactive lymph node stations were detected by gamma-probe. Of those 42 areas, 38 (90%) were visible at preoperative lymphoscintigraphy. In the group of 5 patients in whom nanocolloid was used, a median of 2 (range, 1-4) node stations per patient was identified, whereas when sulfur colloid was administered a median of 6 (range, 4-8) active lymph node stations per patient could be detected (P < 0.002). Paraesophageal drainage was identified in 1 patient.
Conclusion: Lymphoscintigraphy of the gastric cardia is feasible and can accurately determine the location of radioactive lymph nodes. Early paraesophageal lymphatic drainage is rare.