Node-RADS Score ≥3 — Independent Predictor of Axillary Node Metastasis

Background: Axillary lymph node metastasis is important in staging and outcomes in breast cancer. The gold standard for staging has traditionally relied on surgery, but there has been growing need for accurate preoperative assessments of axillary node status. Ultrasound (US) is operator dependent, and meta-analyses show pooled sensitivity between 50% and 80%, even when combined with US-guided biopsy. The Node Reporting and Data System (Node-RADS) is a scoring system based on nodal size and configuration—at CT or MRI. The 2 most common types of breast cancer are invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) and invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC). Nodal evaluation is more challenging in ILC because typical imaging features (hilar effacement and eccentric cortical thickening) may be absent and pathologic lymph nodes may be smaller. Objective: To evaluate the applicability of the Node-RADS score in assessing axillary lymph node involvement in patients with IDC and ILC. Design: Retrospective study. Parti more...