Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) has long been a cornerstone of melanoma care, serving as a critical procedure for staging, prognostication, and potential reduction of regional relapses when positive nodes are excised.
1 Despite its value, SLNB is a complex procedure that presents interpretive challenges. Individual melanocytic cells found in sentinel nodes can be difficult to assess, sometimes leading to false-positive results that complicate patient management. Conversely, the procedure may yield false-negative outcomes if the true sentinel lymph node is missed, a particular concern in the head and neck region where lymphatic anatomy complicates node-mapping.
2 These limitations underscore the need for enhanced methods to increase prognostic accuracy, especially in complex anatomic areas such as the head and neck. …
