Sentinel lymph nodes are received as part of a breast specimen case, as multiple samples or as a stand alone case. These specimens differ from other tissue types as the patient receives a small amount of radioactive isotope before surgery.
 
There is no risk in collection, transportation or processing these specimen as the radioactive half life of the isotope is small. All material received in the laboratory is monitored and disposed of separately from all other specimens.
 
Due to the half life of the radioactive isotope, it is vitally important the clinical details contain the amount of isotope the patient received and when the patient was injected. If these details are not on the specimen form, it could delay the turnaround time of the case.