Precise sentinel node detection in head and neck cancer
25/08/2025
At a glance
> Maxillofacial Consultant Gary Walton is using the C-Trak gamma probe to pinpoint sentinel nodes in patients with small oral tumours.
> The high directionality of the probe’s narrow collimator allows incisions to be smaller and avoid size resection and neck dissection.
> In our latest video, Gary talks to us about his experiences with the C-Trak and how it allows him to work accurately for improved patient outcomes.
Supporting improved patient outcomes
The University Hospital Coventry & Warwickshire is using the C-Trak gamma probe in surgical oncology, supporting improved outcomes for head and neck cancer patients, particularly those presenting with small oral tumours and no clearly detectable nodal disease.
Mr. Gary Walton, Maxillofacial Consultant at the hospital, is using the C-Trak to identify sentinel lymph nodes for biopsy after patients are radiolabelled, typically with ⁹⁹ᵐTc. As the sentinel node is the first lymph node likely to be affected by metastatic spread, accurate localisation is critical for staging and treatment decisions.
High sensitivity and directionality
Thanks to the C-Trak’s high sensitivity and directionality, Gary can pinpoint sentinel nodes in all regions of the neck, whether ipsilateral, bilateral, or even contralateral. This level of precision enables a more targeted approach aided further by the probe’s narrow collimator, which helps distinguish true signals from background noise.
While the size of an incision will be largely determined by the location of the lymph node, Gary has found that its size can be limited using the C-Trak because of its directionality.
“You wouldn't know that they'd had anything done almost compared with conventional technique”
Gary said, “From a head and neck surgical point of view, traditionally, we would do a neck dissection for patients, whereas using the sentinel node technique for which the C-Trak is designed for, we can simply take out one or two lymph nodes through a very small incision in the neck with minimal morbidity.
“So, in the ideal patient, they will have had a relatively small tumour with a complete excision. A few months later, you wouldn't know that they'd had anything done almost compared with conventional technique, which would be a reasonable size resection, plus a neck dissection, plus/minus a reconstruction.”
Find out more
You can learn more about the C-Trak gamma probes for surgical oncology by clicking the button below to speak to a product specialist directly.