Radiology, Vol 187, 769-771, Copyright © 1993 by Radiological Society of North America
Utility of axillary views in postmastectomy patients
PA Propeck and KA Scanlan
Department of Radiology, University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics, Madison 53792-3252.
This study was performed to determine the utility of routine axillary
radiography in postmastectomy patients. The records of 185 postmastectomy
patients who had undergone axillary radiography were retrospectively
reviewed. Of 499 views obtained, only 10 (2%) were reported as abnormal.
Only one of the 10 patients with abnormal studies had a demonstrated
recurrence that corresponded to the mammographic finding. This patient also
had positive physical examination results at that time. Eight of the 185
patients developed local recurrences, four of which were in the axilla of
the affected side. These four cases were all detected at physical
examination; two patients underwent relatively concurrent axillary
radiography. One of these two patients with abnormal physical examination
results had a positive axillary view obtained in the same month. The other
of these two patients with abnormal physical examination results had a
negative axillary view obtained 3 months earlier. The authors conclude that
routine axillary radiography is not useful in postmastectomy patients.
