ECR 2015 / C-1031 | |
Pathological findings of suspicious axilary lymph nodes in patients with normal screening mammograms | |
This poster is published under an open license. Please read the disclaimer for further details. |
Congress: | ECR 2015 |
Poster No.: | C-1031 |
Type: | Scientific Exhibit |
Keywords: | Breast, Mammography, Ultrasound, Biopsy, Diagnostic procedure, Lymphoma, Neoplasia |
Authors: | E. Lopez Uzquiza1, A. Iturralde-Garriz2, A. De Diego Diez2, P. Alonso Bartolomé1, E. Ortega García1, P. Merino Rasillo1; 1Suances/ES, 2Santander/ES |
DOI: | 10.1594/ecr2015/C-1031 |
DOI-Link: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1594/ecr2015/C-1031 |
Methods and materials
From January 2005 to December 2012 a total of 57 patients out of 185. 479 women (0.03%) from the Screening Program in Cantabria, Spain, were found to have suspicious axillary lymph nodes with an otherwise normal mammogram,that required an ultrasound evaluation and a fine needle aspiration (44 cases) and/or a core needle biopsy (20 cases).
All patients underwent ultrasound scanning of the axilla that was carried out with a lineal 7 -12 Mhz transducer (MyLab 70XV, Esaote, Biomedica, Genoa, Italy).
The normal axillary node appear on the mammogram as a round or oval well-defined mass, isodense or hypodense compared with breast parenchyma, and containing a central area of hilar fat.
Lymph node cortical thickness and uniformity were the most important criteria for distinguishing between normal and abnormal nodes. Normal lymph nodes have a reniform shape, a uniformly hypoechoic cortex with a maximal thickness of 3 mm, smooth margins, and a central fatty hilum. Findings of cortical thickness in excess of 3 mm, eccentric thickening, irregular margins, and encroachment on or displacement of the fatty hilum are suggestive of a pathologic process.
All biopsies and fine needle aspirations were ultrasound-guided with a free hand approach.
Core needle biopsies were performed with an automated fourteen-gauge needle with a 22 mm throw (Acecut, TSK, Laboratory; Japan). A minimum of three biopsy samples were obtained with additional samples collected at the discretion of the radiologist.