INTERNAL MAMMARY COMPARTMENT - WINDOW TO THE MEDIASTINUM

PURPOSE: To determine the role of internal mammary ultrasonography (US ) in assessment of the mediastinum. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 66 patie nts (age range, 2 days to 18 years old; mean age 6.5 years) US imaging with spectral and color Doppler was used to examine the internal mamm ary region. Forty-four patients were suspected to have mediastinal mas ses; 22, vascular abnormalities. RESULTS: Five patients had abnormal i nternal mammary arterial flow (reversed in one). Internal mammary vein flow was reversed or absent in 10 patients with vein obstruction or G lenn shunts. Eight of 23 patients with lymphoma had internal mammary a denopathy. None of six patients with infectious mediastinal adenopathy and no patients with other benign mediastinal masses or vascular abno rmalities had visualized internal mammary nodes. CONCLUSION: US and Do ppler imaging of the internal mammary vessels and nodes provide valuab le information about the nature of mediastinal masses and vascular dis ease. Flow pattern in the internal mammary vessels may elucidate abnor malities of central vessels.