Application Detail
Description of Medical Service
Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNBx) is a procedure that is performed increasingly in Australia for patients with intermediate thickness melanoma, to determine if melanoma cells have spread to the sentinel lymph nodes.SLNBx with excision of lymph node(s) is identified by a combination of blue dye (lymphotropic dye injection) and lymphoscintography/gamma probe, ideally performed at the time of the primary melanoma wide excision (although this is not always possible).
Description of Medical Condition
Melanoma is a malignancy of skin pigment cells (melanocytes). The lifetime risk for melanoma in Australia is 1 in 24 for males and 1 in 35 for females. In 2011 there were 11,500 new cases diagnosed in Australia (Cancer Council Australia) and more than 1,500 die each year from the disease.Reason for Application
New MBS itemMedical Service Type
InvestigativePrevious Application Number/s
1485Associated Documentation
Application Form
Application form (PDF 870 KB)Application form (Word 105 KB)
Consultation Survey
Consultation survey (PDF 559 KB)Consultation survey (Word 70 KB)
PICO Confirmation
-Assessment Report
-Public Summary Document
Public Summary Document (PDF 572 KB)Public Summary Document (Word 189 KB)