In 21 patients with breast cancer (pT1–4, N0, M0) internal mammary lymphoscintigraphy and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were performed to evaluate retrosternal lymph node metastases. In 6 patients normal findings of lymphoscintigraphy were confirmed by MRI. In the 15 patients with focal defects seen by lymphoscintigraphy no lymph nodes were found by MRI in 5 in the corresponding area, 5 showed normal-sized lymph nodes (<1 cm) and 5 enlarged lymph nodes indicating metastatic infiltration. In addition to internal mammary lymphoscintigraphy MRI may offer the possibility to improve TNM staging in patients with breast cancer.
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