title: Breast MRI for evaluating patients with metastatic axillary lymph node and initially negative mammography and sonography.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We wanted to investigate the ability of breast MR imaging to identify the primary malignancy in patients with axillary lymph node metastases and initially negative mammography and sonography, and we correlated those results with the conventional imaging.
  
  
  METHODS
  From September 2001 to April 2006, 12 patients with axillary lymph node metastases and initially negative mammography and sonography underwent breast MR imaging to identify occult breast carcinoma. We analyzed the findings of the MR imaging, the MR-correlated mammography and the second-look sonography. We followed up both the MR-positive and MR-negative patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MR imaging detected occult breast carcinoma in 10 of 12 (83%) patients. Two MR-negative patients were free of carcinoma in the ipsilateral breast during their follow-up period (39 and 44 months, respectively). In nine out of 10 patients, the MR-correlated mammography and second-look sonography localized lesions that were not detected on the initial exam. All the non-MR-correlated sonographic abnormalities were benign.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Breast MR imaging can identify otherwise occult breast cancer in patients with metastatic axillary lymph nodes. Localization of the lesions through MR-correlated mammography and second-look sonography is practically feasible in most cases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology and the Center for Imaging Science, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Eun Young
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.forename: Boo-Kyung
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Jung Hee
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Seok Seon
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Kang
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001365:Axilla; D001706:Biopsy; D001940:Breast / Q000473:pathology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000556:secondary; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000175:diagnosis; D016403:Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008327:Mammography / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009382:Neoplasms, Unknown Primary / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016217:Ultrasonography, Mammary / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA