[Use of the internal mammary vessels (vasa thoracica interna) forirradiation of the parasternal region in breast cancer. 1].

The topographic-anatomical situation of parasternal lymph-nodes, of a. and v. thoracica interna were studied and a method for local irradiation of parasternal lymph-nodes was elaborated introducing discrete linear 60Co-radiation-sources into inner breast vessels. This is the prerequisite to use a radiosurgical method treating mammary carcinoma in central and medial localisation. With this in 463 patients with mammary carcinoma the inner breast vessels were used to introduce radioactive radiation sources. This allowed the irradiation of parasternal lymph-nodes in shortest time with simultaneous substantial decrease of radiation exposure of heart, lung, and mediastinal organs, and of spinal marrow.