Anatomy Of The Breast

Question 1

What is the medial border of the breast?

Answer 1

Lateral border of the sternum

Question 2

What is the lateral border of the breast?

Answer 2

Mid-axillary line

Question 3

What is the superior border of the breast?

Answer 3

2nd rib in the mid-clavicular line

Question 4

What is the inferior border of the breast?

Answer 4

6th rib

Question 5

What lies between the glands and the deep fascia?

Answer 5

Retromammary space

Question 6

What are the five clinical devisions of the breast?

Answer 6

1. Areola and nipple
2. Upper lateral quadrant (with Axilliary Tail of Spence)
3. Upper medial quadrant
4. Lower lateral quadrant
5. Lower medial quadrant

Question 7

What type of glands are in the nipple and why?

Answer 7

Large sebaceous glands, they keep the papillary skin supple during breast feeding

Question 8

What happens to the areola during breastfeeding?

Answer 8

Montgomery’s tubercles form, they produce more oil to help keep the area lubricated

Question 9

What are polythelia?

Answer 9

Additional nipples that can occur anywhere along the milk line, which runs from the superior part of the breast down to the legs.

Question 10

Describe the contents of a lobe in the breasts

Answer 10

A lobe consists of several lobules, which hold alveoli .

Question 11

What are alveoli made of?

Answer 11

Tubulo-alveolar glandular tissue

Question 12

What do the alveoli do?

Answer 12

Prolactin causes your alveoli to take nutrients (proteins, sugars) from your blood supply and turn them into breast milk.

Question 13

Explain how the milk leaves the breast through the ducts

Answer 13

Secretion of each lobule goes into the alveolar duct –> all converge together to the lactiferous duct –> expands into the lactiferous sinus –> out the nipple

Question 14

What are the suspensory ligaments of Cooper?

Answer 14

Dense bands of collage that divide the fatty tissue of the breast

Question 15

Where do Cooper’s ligaments sit?

Answer 15

They extend from deep fascia of underlying pectoralis major muscles and attach to the dermis

Question 16

What is the clinical relevance of Cooper’s ligaments?

Answer 16

Malignancies contract these ligaments and cause retraction of the nipple

Question 17

What are the four arteries in the breast?

Answer 17

1. Internal thoracic artery
2. Lateral thoracic artery
3. Thoracoacrimial artery
4. Posterior intercostal arteries

Question 18

Which artery supplies the medial aspect of the breast?

Answer 18

Internal thoracic artery

Question 19

Which arteries supply blood to the lateral part of the breast?

Answer 19

Lateral thoracic artery, thoracoacromial artery, posterior intercostal artery

Question 20

What are the four veins in the breast?

Answer 20

1. Internal thoracic vein
2. Lateral thoracic vein
3. Thoracoacromial vein
4. Posterior intercostal vein

Question 21

Where do the lateral quadrants of the breast drain?

Answer 21

Anterior axillary nodes (75% of lymph)

Question 22

Where does the medial quadrant of the breast drain?

Answer 22

Parasternal lymph nodes

Question 23

Where does the lower quadrant of the breast drain?

Answer 23

Inferior phrenic nodes –> subdiaphragmatic lymphatics –> other nodes in the abdomen

Question 24

What are the three major routes of metastasis?

Answer 24

1. Lymphatic route
2. Haematogenous route
3. Direct invasion of surrounding tissue