Journal
EUROPEAN RADIOLOGY
Volume 10, Issue 9, Pages 1464-1471Publisher
SPRINGER-VERLAG
DOI: 10.1007/s003300000370
Keywords
MRI; contrast medium; axillary lymph node; metastases; staging
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Metastatic involvement of axillary lymph es is one of the most important prognostic varies in breast cancer. The aim of our work was to study the value of dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging in revealing axillary lymph node metastases from breast cancer. A total of 65 patients with invasive breast cancer treated with axillary lymph node section were preoperatively evaluated by MRI. T1-weighted dynamic contrast-enhanced 3D images were acquired using a coil covering the breast and the axilla, The dynamic contrast enhancement, size, and morphology of the axillary lymph nodes were registered. Histopathological examination revealed axillary lymph node metastases in 24 patients. When using a signal intensity increase in the lymph nodes of > 100% during the first postcontrast image as a threshold for malignancy, 57 of 65 patients were correctly classified (sensitivity 83 %, specificity 90 %, accuracy 88%). These results were not improved when lymph node size and morphology were used as additional criteria. Axillary lymph nodes can be evaluated part of an MR-mammography study without substantial increase in examination time, and provide the surgeon with knowledge about the localization of le metastatic lymph nodes.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available