Internal mammary lymphoscintigraphy. The rationale, technique, interpretation and clinical application: a review based on 848 cases.

Internal mammary lymphoscintigraphy is a noninvasive reproducible technique which correlates well with the anatomic pattern of lymph node distribution. A study of 848 patients via radiocolloid injection established a normal internal mammary lymph node distribution and detected deviations from this pattern. A review of these cases is followed by a discussion of the clinical application of this technique, especially in carcinoma of the breast.