Can We Identify or Exclude Extensive Axillary Nodal Involvement in Breast Cancer Patients Preoperatively?

Table 5

Summary of accuracy of preoperative axillary imaging modalities to exclude patients with ≥3 positive nodes.

Staging modality	No. of studies	Total no. of patients	Prevalence of extensive nodal involvement (mean)	NPV (mean)	FNR (mean)
AxUS	8	12.143	6.1–18.1 (12.1)	92–98 (95)	30–37 (34)
US/FNAC	6	6.078	4.7–18.9 (11.1)	93–97 (95)	15–58 (43)
MRI	3	2.112	6.6–13.5 (11.9%)	91–99 (93)	12–55 (45)
Unenhanced MRI	1	1.351	13.5	91	55
DCE-MRI	2	761	6.6–10.3 (9.1)	97–99 (98)	12–19 (17)
PET/CT	1	364	11.8	97	21

No. = number; FNR = false-negative rate; NPV = Negative Predictive Value; AxUS = Axillary Ultrasonography; US/FNAC = AxUS followed by fine-needle aspiration cytology of suspicious node; MRI = Magnetic Resonance Imaging; DCE = Dynamic Contrast Enhanced; PET = Positron Emission Tomography; PET/CT = combined PET and Computed Tomography.