Internal mammary lymphoscintigraphy in breast carcinoma: possible significance in relation to current treatment

A diagnostic modality to study parasternal lymph nodes was examined at the Cancer Control Agency of British Columbia, Vancouver. Forty-five patients with carcinoma of the breast were studied. The data correlate well with that from other centres in regard to anatomic validity, lymph node distribution, cross drainage and findings in relation to the stage of disease. The frequency of lymphoscintigraphic abnormalities was almost twice as high in relation to lesions situated in the centre and inner half of the breast as compared with outer half lesions. Twenty-eight per cent of patients demonstrated cross drainage between parasternal lymphatics. In 11% of the patients, nodes were situated at locations greater than 4 cm from the midline. Work is in progress to study the correlation of lymphoscintigraphy with disease in the nodes. The data indicate that this study can be used in other centres in the management of patients with mammary carcinoma.