Design and Development of a Wireless Gamma Probe System for Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy

Introduction: Applying gamma probe system has become a standard protocol for Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy (SLNB) during last years. However, since data transmission from the probe in the majority of the current systems is performed via a wire, using the probe results in some difficulties for the surgeon and the operation room crew. Here, utilizing the gamma probe systems with wireless probes can introduce much ease and applicability during the surgery. We designed and developed a wireless probe compatible with our previously developed gamma probe system. Materials and Methods: The external body of the probe was made from medical grade stainless steel. The internal parts and electronic board of the probe was designed as small as possible to lead to a compact probe. Total length of the probe is about 26 cm. The tip diameter of the current probe is 10 mm with straight structure. The probe is completely stand-alone with no wire equipped with a 1,850 mAh-capacity battery enabling the probe to continuously work for at least 7 hours. The charging of the probe is performed simply using a charger base within about 2 hours. The range of the wireless connection is more than 10 m. Performance parameters of the wireless probe were examined using NEMA standards. Also, the clinical application of the device has been assessed and will be presented soon. Results: According to the measurements, angular resolution and spatial resolution of the probe were about 75° and 4.5 cm, respectively. In addition, sensitivity at 30 mm from the tip and shielding effectiveness were measured as 500 cps/MBq and more than 99%, respectively. Conclusion: A wireless gamma probe in the class of the conventional international similar systems was developed. Long-term analyses showed the reliability of the probe. Furthermore, the practical evaluation of the probe illustrated its appropriate performance values for SLNB.

کلیدواژه ها:

Gamma Probe ، Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy ، wireless ، SLNB