| Abstract: |
To determine if mammographic patterns can predict malignant axillary adenopathy, axillary views were obtained of 120 women undergoing preoperative needle localization of breast abnormalities. Nodes were visualized in 68% ( 69 102) of women with a benign breast biopsy, and in 91% ( 63 69) of these, nodes were centrally fatty; 20% ( 14 69) of benign axillae contained dense nodes. Nodes were seen mammographically in 72% ( 13 18) of women with malignancy. The mean number of nodes on axillary view of these women was 2.3, compared to 21 in the pathologic specimen. At least some of visualized nodes in all women were centrally fatty. Of the six women who had axillary metastases, no nodes were seen mammographically in one, and the remaining five all had dense lymph nodes. A spiculated node was visualized in one woman. An additional six cases obtained retrospectively from our file of interesting mammograms had axillary adenopathy without ipsilateral breast cancer; adenopathy was due to metastatic adenocarcinoma or lymphoproliferative malignancy. All had dense nodes present on mammography, with spiculated nodes present in two. Lymph nodes are commonly seen on the axillary view and are usually benign. Dense nodes may contain tumor, and spiculated contour was seen only with malignancy. The number of nodes on the axillary view does not correlate with the number found at axillary dissection. © 1991. |
