title: Lymph drainage from the mammary glands in mice: a magnetic resonance lymphographic study with gadofluorine M.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to determine the capability of magnetic resonance (MR) lymphography using gadofluorine M and to demonstrate normal lymph drainage from the mammary glands in mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three mice were intradermally injected with gadofluorine M near the papilla of the right fifth mammary gland, and subsequently underwent serial MR imaging to determine the appropriate method for assessment of the lymphatic pathway. MR lymphography was performed in 10 mice for the five right mammary glands to assess lymph drainage from each gland.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After intradermal injection near the right fifth papilla, high signal intensities representing lymph drainage were clearly demonstrated in the right inguinal and right proper axillary lymph nodes in all mice. The contrast between the lymph node and adjacent muscles was highest 10 minutes after injection and was still evident at 30 minutes. The lymph pathways from the five right mammary glands were successfully revealed, and no contralateral lymph nodes received lymph flow. Although variations in lymph drainage patterns from the first and second mammary glands existed among mice, injection in the third, fourth, and fifth glands gave consistent results. Lymphatics from the third gland drained exclusively into the proper axillary lymph node, and those from the fourth and fifth glands drained into the inguinal and proper axillary nodes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MR lymphography with gadofluorine M allows noninvasive visualization of lymph drainage from the mammary glands in healthy mice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Fugeng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sheng
authors.forename: Yusuke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Shigeru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kiryu
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Kuni
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ohtomo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D008208:Lymphatic System / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008220:Lymphography / Q000379:methods; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008321:Mammary Glands, Animal / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; C477144:gadofluorine