PREOPERATIVE DIAGNOSIS OF INTERNAL MAMMARY NODE METASTASES OF BREAST CANCER

Abstract

It has been well docwnented that lymphatic metastases from breast carcinoma adversely affect prognosis. The finding of positive axillary nodes will lead most clinicians to undertake a more radical therapeutic approach. It is imperative to utilize any additional techniq ue to determine as accurately as possible the true extent of disease in order to initiate timely, appropriate therapy. The present study has confirmed the potential value of internal mammary Jymphoscintigraphy and parasternal sonography in preoperative staging of the patients with breast cancer. With early recognition of parasternal disease and the prompt initiation of appropriate measures the prognosis of patients with breast carcinoma treated by conservative surgical methods may be considerably improved.

Evaluation of the preoperative diagnostic value of i n ternal mammary lymph osci ntigraphy and parasternal • sonography was done on 50 patients with stage 11 breast carcinoma comparing the results with internal mammary node biopsies during the course of definitive surgical treatment.

I- INTERNAL MAMMARY LYMPHOSCINTIGRAPHY :

Internal mammary lymphoscintigraphy is a simple, practicable, well tolerated method of examination, the results of which lie well within the limits of accuracy obtainable for many diagnostic procedures.