# Isosulfan blue (lymphatic mapping dye)

Source: https://onco.cc/drugs/isosulfan-blue/  
OnCo record `isosulfan-blue` (Imaging agent). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

A blue dye injected near a tumour before surgery. It travels to the nearest lymph nodes and stains them blue, helping the surgeon find the sentinel node.

## Summary

Lymphazurin (NDA 018310, Covidien, first approved 29 July 1981) and generic isosulfan blue injection 1% (for example ANDA 090874) are labelled as "an adjunct to lymphography in: primary and secondary lymphedema of the extremities; chyluria, chylous ascites or chylothorax; lymph node involvement by primary or secondary neoplasm; lymph node response to therapeutic modalities".

## Fields

- Kind: Imaging agent
- Status: approved
- Last checked: 2026-11-04
- Also known as: isosulfan blue; Lymphazurin; isosulphan blue
- Tags: contrast-agents-gaps-2026-11; diagnostic
- Brand: Lymphazurin
- Modality: Blue dye for lymphatic mapping (subcutaneous injection)
- Mechanism: Injected under the skin, the dye binds to proteins and is carried in lymphatic vessels, staining them and the nodes they drain to blue.
- Approvals: US 1981: Adjunct to lymphography, including lymph node involvement by primary or secondary neoplasm

## Sources

- Drugs@FDA Lymphazurin (NDA 018310): https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cder/daf/index.cfm?event=overview.process&ApplNo=018310
- DailyMed label: Isosulfan blue injection 1%: https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=0391e544-3633-48df-9f3a-ed16183125b1

## Connected records

- technologies: [Magnetic tracer for sentinel lymph node biopsy (Magtrace and Sentimag)](https://onco.cc/technologies/magnetic-sentinel-node-tracer/), [Sentinel lymph node biopsy](https://onco.cc/technologies/sentinel-node/)
- terms: [Sentinel node biopsy](https://onco.cc/terms/sentinel-lymph-node-biopsy/)

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