Is Preoperative Axillary Imaging Beneficial in Identifying Clinically Node-Negative Patients Requiring Axillary Lymph Node Dissection?

Abstract

Among clinically node-negative patients with abnormal axillary imaging, 71% did not meet criteria for ALND and were spared further surgical morbidity. Abnormal nodes on US, MRI, or mammogram in clinically node-negative patients are not reliable indicators of the need for ALND.