Evaluation of sonographic detectability of different markers within an in vitro simulation model of the axilla.

Purpose: Clip-marking of axillary lymph nodes with initial biopsy-confirmed metastasis is required for targeted axillary dissection (TAD), which includes sentinel lymph node dissection (SLND) and selective localization and removal of the clipped targeted lymph node. There have been several studies which examined the feasibility of TAD in routine clinical use. In this context, the optimal clip visualisation was noted as one of the crucial limiting factors.

Axillary ultrasound for prediction of response to neoadjuvant therapy in the context of surgical strategies to axillary dissection in primary breast cancer: a systematic review of the current literature.

Purpose: Data on the optimal treatment strategy for patients undergoing neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) who initially presented with metastatic nodes and convert to node-negative disease (cN+ → ycN0) are limited. Since NAT leads to axillary downstaging in 20-60% of patients, the question arises whether these patients might be offered less-invasive procedures than axillary dissection, such as sentinel node biopsy or targeted removal of lymph nodes marked before therapy.

Methods: We performed a systematic review of clinical studies on the use of axillary ultrasound for prediction of response to NAT and ultrasound-guided marking of metastatic nodes for targeted axillary dissection.