ULTRASONOGRAPHIC DETECTION OF INTERPECTORAL (ROTTERS) NODE INVOLVEMENT IN BREAST-CANCER

Prospectively, ultrasonographic examination of the interpectoral space was performed in 185 patients with clinical and/or mammographic evide nce/suspicion of breast carcinoma. Of these, 86 patients treated by mo dified radical mastectomy were included in the study. Interpectoral ly mph node metastases were found histopathologically in 12 (14%) of pati ents. Ultrasonographic examination of the interpectoral space revealed enlarged Rotter's node in 4 (4.6%) of patients, and 33.3% of patients with involved interpectoral nodes. Therefore, one-third of interpecto ral node involvement could be detected ultrasonographically in this gr oup. This sonographic study represents the first report on the interpe ctoral region with special attention to Rotter's node. (C) 1996 John W iley & Sons, Inc.