Pre- and post-magnetic resonance imaging features of suspicious internal mammary lymph nodes in breast cancer patients receiving neo-adjuvant therapy

Internal mammary lymph nodes constitute a major lymphatic chain draining the breast and a route of spread for breast cancer metastases. Both physiologic and metastatic internal mammary lymph nodes enhance on breast magnetic resonance imaging, and the clinical significance of their prevalence, size, and morphology when visualized in a patient with breast cancer remains unknown. We studied the characteristics of internal mammary lymph nodes visualized on breast MRI studies before and after neo-adjuvant therapy in twenty-three patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer. A measured decrease in internal mammary lymph node size on post-neo-adjuvant therapy MRI indicated metastatic involvement. Determining suspicious features of internal mammary nodes on initial diagnostic MRI can aid radiologists in reporting probable IMLN metastases and may alter the course of care for patients with breast cancer. This study concludes that metastatic internal mammary lymph nodes should be considered when more than two ipsilateral internal mammary lymph nodes measuring 6 mm or greater are seen on diagnostic MRI in a patient with newly diagnosed breast cancer.

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Work Title Pre- and post-magnetic resonance imaging features of suspicious internal mammary lymph nodes in breast cancer patients receiving neo-adjuvant therapy
Subtitle Are any imaging features predictive of malignancy?
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Open Access
Creators
  1. Shalin Patel
  2. Amber Delikat
  3. Jiangang (Jason) Liao
  4. Alison Chetlen
License In Copyright (Rights Reserved)
Work Type Article
Publisher
  1. Breast Journal
Publication Date November 1, 2018
Publisher Identifier (DOI)
  1. https://doi.org/10.1111/tbj.13102
Deposited July 09, 2021

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Version 1
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  • Created
  • Added Pre_and_Post_MRI_features_of_IMLN_in_Breast_CA_patients_receiving_neoadjuvant_chemo_Breast_Journal_2018.pdf
  • Added Creator Shalin Patel
  • Added Creator Amber Delikat
  • Added Creator Jiangang (Jason) Liao
  • Added Creator Alison Chetlen
  • Published
  • Updated
  • Updated