ObjectiveTo evaluate clinical value of indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence in sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy (SLNB) for breast cancer. MethodThe SLNBs were performed in 66 patients with breast cancer,who were divided into ICG group (n=34) and methylene blue dye group (n=32) according to the tracing method. ResultsThe SLNs were found in 59 patients,the detection rate was 89.39%(59/66).One hundred and sixty-two SLNs in 59 patients were detected,the average number of detected SLNs was 2.75.The SLNs detection rate was 97.06%(33/34) and 81.25%(26/32) in the ICG group and in the methylene blue dye group,respectively,which in the ICG group was significantly higher than that in the methylene blue dye group (P<0.05).The positive SLNs were found in 32 cases,within which was 20 cases in the ICG group,12 cases in the methylene blue dye group.The axillary lymph node metastases were found in 35 of 66 cases,within which was 21 cases in the ICG group,14 cases in the methylene blue dye group.The sensitivity and false negative rate had no significant differences between the ICG group and the methylene blue dye group (sensitivity:95.2% versus 85.7%,P>0.05;false negative rate:4.8% versus 14.3%,P>0.05). ConclusionThe ICG fluorescence in SLNB for breast cancer has many advantages,including shorter time,simple operation,high sensitivity,and high detection rate as compared with methylene blue dye.