The dye used for sentinel node biopsy is a radioactive isotope and contrast use in catscan/mri scan/petscan are not radioactive. Radioactive isotope when it attaches to cancer cells will signal when a giger counter is use.

@A MyBCTeam Member We are here for you! Just ask:) I believe your surgeon will send those biopsy tissue samples/nodes to pathology for testing, then you will have a follow up appointment for results and discuss next steps if needed. (maybe one week, or earlier). Mine was one week, then I went back in for a re-excision surgery (10 days from first lumpectomy surg) to get a greater margin of tissue but it was still positive. My cancer was very small, stage one but scattered. Thats what is so sneaky about BC. It can be so diff from person to person. Keep a list going for your second opinion doc. Smart move seeking a second, even if you have complete confidence in your primary choice!! :)

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A MyBCTea...

@A MyBCTeam Member If I recall correctly, the dye for the lumpectomy is to find your sentinel node and the path following in the Lymph system. They use this to locate the first node and your doctor will determine how many additional to remove to be tested. For example, I had 4 removed (sentinel or first node and the following three) and only the first tested positive (HER2)
Here is more info on the PET http://www.breastcancer.org/symptoms/testing/ty...
Hope that helps :)

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A MyBCTea...

The results at the time of surgery aren't the final results. I was told my margins were clear and no lymph node involvement. 2 days later I found my margins weren't clear and I had one small tumor on 1 lymph node. I ended up with a mastectomy.

The dye attaches to the cancer and tells them how far to cut when removing the cancer tissue. My breast surgeon called it a tracer....