Easy Scheme Outlining the Various Morphological and Vascular Abnormalities of the Lymph Node Structure Associated

Valeria Fiaschetti1,2, Nicolò Ubaldi3, Smeralda De Fazio2

  • 1Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Tor Vergata University, 00133 Rome, Italy.

Throughout this recent ongoing SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, the European Society of Breast Imaging have surely contributed in improving the management of unilateral axillary adenopathy appearance homolaterally to the side of vaccine inoculation. After considering the patient's COVID-19 history of vaccination, our group produced a day-to-day scheme that evaluates meticulously the probability of mammary malignancy, according to the lymph node characteristics including vascular abnormalities. It comprises of a UN (ultrasound node) score ranging from 2 to 5, that increases with the suspicion of malignancy. In this setting and in view of the additional incoming COVID-19 boost-dose vaccinations, we believe our model could be of great utility to radiologist when assessing patients whom do not have a straight forward diagnosis, in order to reduce breast cancer missed diagnosis, avoid delaying vaccinations, reduce rescheduling of breast imaging examinations and lastly avoid unnecessary lymph node biopsies.

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