6/16/25 Breast & Lymphatics

Question 1

What is the lateral extension of the breast called?

Answer 1

Axillary tail

Question 2

Breast tissue blood supply

Answer 2

from the internal mammary/thoracic artery (branch of the subclavian artery) and branches of the axillary artery.

Question 3

The breast is a ________ organ.

Answer 3

fibroglandular

Question 4

Breast base extension

Answer 4

from the second rib to the sixth rib in the midclavicular line, and from the sternum to the midaxillary line.

Question 5

What structures are at the apex of the breast?

Answer 5

Aerola and nipple

Question 6

How many lobes are in the mammary gland?

Answer 6

15-20 lobes

Question 7

What are the functional units of the mammary glands?

Answer 7

Lobules

Question 8

Each lobe is connected to the nipple via what structure?

Answer 8

Lactiferous duct

Question 9

What separates the lobes of the breast?

Answer 9

Connective tissue septa called suspensory (Cooper’s) ligaments

Question 10

What anatomical system of vessels that recovers fluid from the interstitial space and returns it to the blood circulation?

Answer 10

Lymphatic system

Question 11

What helps lymph move through the lymphatic system?

Answer 11

Negative intrathoracic pressure draws lymph toward the venous drainage point.

Valves in the lymphatic vessels prevent backflow.

Compression of lymphatic vessels by contracting muscles pushes lymph in the right direction.

Question 12

True or False: valves ensure lymph flows in one direction which is towards the veins

Answer 12

True

Question 13

Lymph node fxn

Answer 13

responsible for removing antigens from the lymph as it flows through, and for producing lymphocytes to aid the immune system.

Question 14

Larger lymph ducts are dissectible. They deliver lymph to one or more lymph nodes before returning it to a vein. When the ducts dissect, what two major ducts result?

Answer 14

Right lymphatic duct and thoracic duct

Question 15

What is the area of drainage by the right lymphatic duct?

Answer 15

Right arm, right chest, right head

Question 16

What is the area of drainage for the thoracic duct?

Answer 16

Left arm, left chest, left head, and the rest of the trunk and the legs

Question 17

True or False: All lymph from the skin and subcutaneous tissue below the head and neck drains into either axillary or inguinal nodes before entering the deep lymphatic vessels.

Answer 17

True. This is superficial lymph

Question 18

What nodes are in the region below the head and neck and above the umbilicus?

Answer 18

Axillary nodes

Question 19

Below the umbilicus, where will lymph drain to?

Answer 19

The inguinal nodes

Question 20

Where does lymph from the abdominal and pelvic organs drain through?

Answer 20

Iliac and intestinal nodes or through nodes associated with individual organs such as the spleen, liver, and pancreas. Eventually, it will train into the thoracic duct. This is deep lymph

Question 21

What are the final nodes lymph will filter through before entering the blood?

Answer 21

Supraclavicular (Sentinel) nodes

Question 22

What does enlargement of the supraclavicular nodes on the right side may indicate

Answer 22

Pathology in the thorax

Question 23

What does enlargement of supraclavicular nodes on the left may indicate?

Answer 23

Pathology in the thorax, abdomen, or pelvis

Question 24

Lymphatic system fxn

Answer 24

Recovery of protein from the interstitial space

Question 25

Lymphatic drainage of mammary gland

Answer 25

Most of the lymphatic channels pass laterally to a series of axillary lymph nodes (pectoral, subscapular, central, and apical nodes). Secondary routes pass medially to the parasternal nodes, superiorly to the supraclavicular nodes, and inferiorly to the abdominal wall and to connections with the deeper liver lymphatic channels. This secondary drainage pattern explains metastases to the liver or upper abdominal wall. Anastomotic connections across the front of the chest may result in metastases to the opposite breast.

Question 26

What is edema?

Answer 26

If proteins are not returned to the blood via the lymph, fluid will accumulate in the extracellular space causing edema

Question 27

Where can you find lymphatic capillary networks?

Answer 27

within the loose connective tissues. They are particularly abundant in the dermis (skin) and in the mucosa and submucosa of the digestive, respiratory, and genitourinary tracts.

Question 27

When the breast contains a tumor, or is substantially infected, or inflamed, the skin can take on a distinctive appearance (looks like an orange peel...peau d'orange). What causes this?

Answer 27

This is due to obstruction of its lymphatic drainage, which leads to edema within the gland. The swelling is localized between the sturdy suspensory (Cooper’s) ligaments, which do not stretch in accordance with the generalized swelling.

Question 28

About 75% of the lymph from the breast drains into what lymph nodes?

Answer 28

Axillary lymph nodes