Axillary Lymphadenopathy on Chest CT

IMAGING FINDINGS: ​
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Coned in view of the left axilla from an axial chest CT exam demonstrates a mass without the normal lymph node morphology.
 
WHY IT MATTERS:

1. Breast masses and axillary lymphadenopathy are often identified on chest CT.  Knowing when to sound the alarm and recommend further breast imaging and when to pass on the finding is an important skill for a general radiologist. Prior studies, patient history and any available mammograms are very helpful in this decision.
2. Axillary lymphadenopathy, particularly when identified on cross-sectional imaging like a CT scan, is most concerning when the nodes are enlarged and lose the normal morphology (loss of normal fatty hilum).

 
FURTHER READING:
Axillary Staging of Breast Cancer: What the Radiologist Should Know