Anatomy of the Breasts Flashcards
What are the general features of the breasts?
Highly specialised sweat glands
No special capsule or sheath
More developed in females
What is the location of the breasts?
2nd/3rd rib to 6th rib
Sternal edge to midaxillary line
What is the axillary tail?
Small part of the breast that may extend towards the axillary fossa
How is the breasts attached to the skin?
Suspensory ligament of Cooper
What muscles are the breasts related to in location?
2/3rds rest on the pectoral fascia covering pectoralis major
1/3rd rests on fascia covering serratus anterior
What is the areola?
Pigmented area around the nipple
How many lobules does each breast contain?
15-20
How are the lobules drained?
Lactiferous duct
What is the location of the nipple?
4th intercostal space
What is the nipple composed of?
Collagenous dense connective tissue
Elastic fibres
Smooth muscle
Name the quadrants of the breast
Superolateral quadrant
Inferolateral quadrant
Superomedial quadrant
Inferomedial quadrant
What quadrant is the axillary tail part of?
Superolateral quadrant
What is gynaecomastia?
Postnatal development of rudimentary lactiferous ducts in males
What is polymastia?
Extra breast
What is polythelia?
Extra nipple
What is athelia?
Absence of nipple
What is amastia?
Absence of breast
What is the blood supply to the breasts?
Thoraco acromial artery
Lateral thoracic artery
Internal mammary artery
What are the nerves of the breasts?
Anterior and lateral cutaneous branches of 4th-6th intercostal nerves
What type of information does the nerve supply of the breast carry?
Sympathetic fibres to the blood vessels and smooth muscle around nipple
Sensory fibres to skin of breast
What is the lymphatic drainage of the breasts?
Lateral quadrants - axillary nodes
Medial quadrants - parasternal nodes
Supraclavicualar or inferior cervical nodes
What is the clinical role of the sentinel node?
First draining node, uses for lymphatic mapping and staging of breast cancer
How is the breast soft tissue composed?
Network of glandular tissue consisting of branching ducts and secretory lobules in a connective tissue stroma
What changes occur in breast tissue during puberty?
Branching of lactiferous ducts
Solid, spheroidal masses of granular polyhedral cells
Accumulation of lipids in the adipocytes
What changes occur in breast tissue post-menopause?
Progressive atrophy of lobules and ducts
Fatty replacement of glandular tissue
What changes occur in breast tissue during pregnancy?
Enlarged lobules
Acini are dilated
Epithelium vary from cuboidal to low columnar
What changes occur in breast tissue during lactation?
Acini distended with milk
Thin septa between lobules
What diagnostic methods can be used in breast tissue?
Mammography
Ultrasound
Fine needle aspiration cytology
Core biopsy
What is Paget’s disease of the nipple?
Erosion of the nipple resembling eczema
Associated with ductal or invasive carcinoma
What are the main types of benign breast tumours?
Fibroadenomas
Duct papillomas
Adenomas
Connective tissue tumours
