Abstract
The study was initiated to characterize and better understand the natural characteristics
of axillary lymph nodes (LNs) apparent on dynamic breast magnetic resonance imaging
(MRI). The most important finding in 71 subjects that included healthy women was that
41% showed strong enhanced axillary LNs. The dynamic curves of these LNs revealed
an initial mean signal increase of 197% (±58%), all of them with a following plateau
(34%) or washout (66%). Our study points out that the previous understanding of contrast
enhancement in breast lesions should be taken with care when assessing axillary LNs.
This has to be considered especially in preoperative breast MRI.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: February 13, 2012
Accepted:
December 22,
2011
Received:
October 25,
2011
Identification
Copyright
© 2012 Elsevier Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
