title: Contribution of kinetic characteristics of axillary lymph nodes to the diagnosis in breast magnetic resonance imaging.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the contribution of kinetic characteristics in the discrimination of malignant-benign axillary lymph nodes.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred fifty-five female patients were included in the study. Following magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations postprocessing applications were applied, dynamic curves were obtained from subtracted images. Types of dynamic curves were correlated with histopathological results in malignant cases or final clinical results in patients with no evidence of malignancy. Sensitivity, specificity, positive likehood ratio (+LHR), negative (-LHR) of dynamic curves characterizing the axillary lymph nodes were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 178 lymph nodes greater than 8 mm were evaluated in 113 patients. Forty-six lymph nodes in 24 cases had malignant axillary involvement. 132 lymph nodes in 89 patients with benign diagnosis were included in the study. The sensitivity of type 3 curve as an indicator of malignancy was calculated as 89%. However the specificity, +LHR, -LHR were calculated as 14%, 1.04, 0.76 respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Since kinetic analysis of both benign and malignant axillary lymph nodes, rapid enhancement and washout (type 3) they cannot be used as a discriminator, unlike breast lesions. MRI, depending on the kinetic features of the axillary lymph nodes, is not high enough to be used in the clinical management of breast cancer patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Celal Bayar University, Manisa, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sebnem
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Orgüç
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Celal Bayar University, Manisa, Turkey.
authors.forename: Işıl
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Başara
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Celal Bayar University, Manisa, Turkey.
authors.forename: Gökhan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pekindil
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Celal Bayar University, Manisa, Turkey.
authors.forename: Teoman
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Coşkun
keywords: Axillary lymph nodes; breast carcinoma; kinetic characteristics; magnetic resonance imaging