Interpectoral lymph node
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Fidiarakis A, Murphy A, Saber M, et al. Interpectoral lymph node. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 20 Jan 2025) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-73426
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rID:
73426
Article created:
9 Jan 2020,
Athanasios Fidiarakis
Disclosures:
At the time the article was created Athanasios Fidiarakis had no recorded disclosures.
View Athanasios Fidiarakis's current disclosures
Last revised:
Disclosures:
At the time the article was last revised Andrew Murphy had no recorded disclosures.
View Andrew Murphy's current disclosures
Revisions:
11 times, by
6 contributors -
see full revision history and disclosures
Systems:
Sections:
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Synonyms:
- Rotter lymph nodes
- Rotter lymph node
- Rotter's nodes
- Rotter's node
- Interpectoral nodes
- Interpectoral lymph nodes
- Interpectoral node
- Rotter lymph node
Interpectoral lymph nodes, also known as Rotter lymph nodes, are located in the interpectoral fascia in Rotter space, between the pectoralis major and pectoralis minor muscles. Their number varies from one to four. They are usually considered to be a separate nodal group from the level I and II axillary nodes.
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Radiographic features
Interpectoral nodes can be seen on CT, even when not enlarged, as first described in 1987 6.
History and etymology
The Rotter space and nodes are named after the German surgeon Josef Rotter (1857-1924) who described the nodes in an 1899 article describing findings in post radical mastectomy specimens 4,5. Although like many other eponyms they were first described in the literature by someone else (Stigler's law of eponymy) 7, in this case, three years earlier by F Grossman 2.
Clinical importance
Breast cancer can metastasize to these nodes and they may be positive even in the absence of disease in level I or II axillary nodes. Although uncommon, breast cancer can also initially recur to these nodes.
References
- 1. Ecanow JS, Abe H, Newstead GM, Ecanow DB, Jeske JM. Axillary staging of breast cancer: what the radiologist should know. (2013) Radiographics : a review publication of the Radiological Society of North America, Inc. 33 (6): 1589-612. doi:10.1148/rg.336125060 - Pubmed
- 2. Komenaka IK, Bauer VP, Schnabel FR, Joseph KA, Horowitz E, Ditkoff BA, El-Tamer MB. Interpectoral nodes as the initial site of recurrence in breast cancer. (2004) Archives of surgery (Chicago, Ill. : 1960). 139 (2): 175-8. doi:10.1001/archsurg.139.2.175 - Pubmed
- 3. Dixon JM, Dobie V, Chetty U. The importance of interpectoral nodes in breast cancer. (1993) European journal of cancer (Oxford, England : 1990). 29A (3): 334-6. doi:10.1016/0959-8049(93)90379-t - Pubmed
- 4. Cody HS, Egeli RA, Urban JA. Rotter's node metastases. Therapeutic and prognostic considerations in early breast carcinoma. (1984) Annals of surgery. 199 (3): 266-70. doi:10.1097/00000658-198403000-00003 - Pubmed
- 5. Tor Wo Chiu. Stone’s Plastic Surgery Facts: A Revision Guide, Fourth Edition. (2018) ISBN: 9781351734806
- 6. Holbert BL, Holbert JM, Libshitz HI. CT of interpectoral lymph nodes. (1987) AJR. American journal of roentgenology. 149 (4): 687-8. doi:10.2214/ajr.149.4.687 - Pubmed
- 7. STIGLER'S LAW OF EPONYMY*. (1980) Transactions of the New York Academy of Sciences. 39 (1 Series II): 147. doi:10.1111/j.2164-0947.1980.tb02775.x
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