[Peroperative radiologic findings of axillary lymph nodes in breast cancer].
The series consists of 49 operable breast cancers, prospectively registered over a five month period. The removed axillary fat was peroperatively radiologically examined by trained radiologist, and the result was reported to the surgeon. Afterwards it was sent to the pathologist for a thorough histopathological examination. Peroperative radiographic examination showed that 30.6% of the resected axillary fat contained less than ten lymph nodes. Subsequent pathological examination found that only 8.2% actually contained less than ten lymph nodes. We conclude that peroperative radiological examination of removed axillary fat is not a reliable method to assess the number of lymph nodes removed during the surgical procedure. In our hands, a careful anatomical dissection removing all axillary fatty tissue and lymphatics including level I and II seems to be the method of choice.
Ostergaard
O
O
Urologisk afdeling, Aalborg Sygehus Nord.
Sanden
S
S
Poulsen
J
J
D000328:Adult; D001365:Axilla; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007430:Intraoperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D007432:Intraoperative Period; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011859:Radiography