Overcoming “The Worst Part of Pre-Op”: 3 Major Advantages of Magtrace Over Tc-99
With a number of recent incidents of global Tc-99 shortages, the need for an alternative non-radioactive lymphatic staging solution has never been clearer.
Fortunately, the Magtrace® lymphatic tracer offers an effective alternative, delivering reliable results while simplifying logistics and improving the patient experience.
We spoke with Dr. Marilyn Sandford of Alaska Breast Care and Surgery about her experience with Magtrace, and the three reasons she has found it to be more advantageous than Tc-99, transforming her approach to patient care.
1. Injection flexibility with Magtrace
Unlike technetium-based solutions which depend on nuclear medicine facilities, Magtrace can be stored easily and be administered by breast care nurses, radiologists or even the surgeon themselves — with no nuclear medicine expertise required.
Dr. Sandford explained that this has enabled her hospital to schedule injections to suit their scheduling and patient care needs.
“Being able to perform the injection myself takes out several of the friction points”Dr. Marilyn Sandford
2. Everything you need. Any time you need it.
The six-hour half-life of Tc-99 often leads to logistical challenges, creating pressure to use it within a prescribed time frame to enhance its effectiveness.
In contrast, Magtrace delivers a reliable signal for several weeks after injection. This extended window eliminates time pressures, providing flexibility for hospital teams and convenience for patients.
Dr. Sandford told us how with just one single-injection, Magtrace starts working in minutes, providing accurate results to physicians exactly when they need it.
“What do surgeons want, things that are good for their patients, efficiency and reliability. And what does Magtrace give? It gives me a very reliable product"Dr. Marilyn Sandford
3. Put patient comfort first
Dr. Sandford explained that one of the main drawbacks her team have experienced with Tc-99 is that her patients have found the injection itself to be very painful.
One of the benefits they have found with Magtrace is that you can eliminate patient pain by injecting in the OR after anesthesia.
Alternatively, if injected days before surgery, studies have shown that Magtrace can cause less discomfort than radioactive isotopes.
“Patients will often tell us that the technetium injection was the worst part of their pre-operative experience”Dr. Marilyn Sandford