Identification of sentinel lymph node location based on body surface landmarks in early breast cancer patients.
BACKGROUND
It would be extremely useful if the location of the sentinel lymph node in breast cancer could be identified based on body surface landmarks. However, the identification of the sentinel node location by using surface landmarks in many reports is based on empirical methodologies.


METHODS
We studied the distribution of the sentinel node location in 70 breast cancer patients based on the lateral line of the major pectoral muscle, the axillary skin fold that divides the trunk and the upper arm, and the nipple of the breast.


RESULTS
The location of the sentinel node could be predicted using an ellipse with a semi-major axis of 2.8 cm and a semi-minor axis of 2.2 cm with a probability of 95% for a patient with the mean body size.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data demonstrate that the location of the sentinel nodes can be predicted within a narrow area based on body landmarks.
Ueda
Naoko
N
Department of Breast Surgery, Cancer Institute Hospital, 1-37-1 Ariake, Koto-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
Tada
Keiichiro
K
Miyata
Satoshi
S
Koizumi
Mitsuru
M
Kuroda
Yoshikazu
Y
Iwase
Takuji
T
D001365:Axilla; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D009558:Nipples / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000473:pathology; D015609:Organotechnetium Compounds; D010369:Pectoralis Muscles / Q000473:pathology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy / Q000379:methods*
D015609:Organotechnetium Compounds; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals