Table 4.

Impact of sentinel node definition on false-negative results. Reprinted with permission from McMasters et al.⁶⁶

Criteria for removal of SN	No. of false negatives/no. of basins with positive nodes	False-negative ratea
A. Only hottest node removed	40/288b	13.9%
B. Hottest node and all obviously blue nodes removedc,d	19/285e	6.7%
C. Hottest node and all blue nodes removed	6/285	2.1%
D. 1st or 2nd SN identified	5/288	1.7%
E. All blue nodes and all nodes >10% of hottest node	1/285	0.4%

^aThe actual false-negative rate can be determined only by long-term follow-up for recurrent nodal metastases in basins with negative SNs

^bAll results are statistically different from category A and reduce the risk of false-negative results (P<.02).

^cThis assumes that the faintly blue or obviously blue nodes would have been identified without the gamma probe, or that blue dye staining could be established prior to removing the node.

^dCases in which blue dye was not used have been excluded

^eCategory B is statistically different from categories C, D, and E (P<.01)