Anatomical bases for the radiological delineation of lymph node areas. Upper limbs, chest and abdomen
Abstract
Cancer spreads locally through direct infiltration into soft tissues, or at distance by invading vascular structures, then migrating through the lymphatic or blood flow. Although cancer cells carried in the blood can end in virtually any corner of the body, lymphatic migration is usually stepwise, through successive nodal stops, which can temporarily delay further progression. In radiotherapy, irradiation of lymphatic paths relevant to the localisation of the primary has been common practice for decades. Similarly, excision of cancer is often completed by lymphatic dissection. Both in radiotherapy and in surgery, advanced knowledge of the lymphatic pathways relevant to any tumour location is an important information for treatment preparation and execution. This second part describes the lymphatics of the upper limb, of the thorax and of the upper abdomen. Providing anatomical bases for the radiological delineation of lymph nodes areas in the axilla, in the chest and in the abdomen, it also offers a simplified classification for labeling the mediastinal and intra-abdominal nodal levels, grouped in each location inside three major functional areas (called I, II and III) which are all divided into three sublevels (named a, b or c).
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Lymph node metastasis is common in clear cell carcinoma of the abdominal wall and particularly involves the inguinal lymph nodes since the superficial abdominal wall lymphatics drain towards the superficial inguinal nodes.
“Lymph node metastasis is common and particularly involves the inguinal lymph nodes since the superficial abdominal wall lymphatics drain towards the superficial inguinal nodes [27].”
From Clear cell carcinoma arising from abdominal wall endometriosis—A report on two cases and literature review (2022) · cites this paper as [27]
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- Authors
- Lengelé, B., Nyssen-behets, C., & Scalliet, P.
- Affiliations
- Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc (BE)
- Venue
- Radiotherapy and Oncology
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2007-09
- Volume
- 84
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 335-347
- ISSN
- 0167-8140 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W1984936721
- Cited by
- 36
- References
- 18
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 3 · 2016: 1 · 2013: 1 · 2012: 3
- FWCI
- 0.96
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Radiotherapy and Oncology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Digital Access to Libraries (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Radiation › Advanced Radiotherapy Techniques
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Lymphatic System and Diseases
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cancer Research › Breast Cancer Treatment Studies
- Keywords
- lymphatic drainage, lymph node anatomy, lymph node delineation, axillary lymph nodes, mediastinal lymph nodes, metastasis, radiotherapy treatment planning, lymph node dissection
- MeSH terms
- Abdomen, Axilla, Humans, Lymph Nodes, Lymphatic Metastasis, Lymphatic System, Thorax
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