Breast Anatomy

Question 1

What is a lobule?

Answer 1

The basic functional unit in the breast, it is also called the terminal ductal lobular unit (TDLU)

Question 2

How many alveoli does a terminal ductal lobular unit consist of and what is their function?

Answer 2

10-100
They drain into the terminal duct

Question 3

Where does the terminal duct drain into?

Answer 3

It drains into larger ducts and finally into the main duct of the low (or segments), that drains into the nipple

Question 4

How many lobes and lobules does a breast contain?

Answer 4

The breast contains 15-18 lobes that each contain 20-40 lobules

Question 5

How does cancer cells metastasize (secondary deposits)?

Answer 5

It can metastasize from a tumour and can be dispersed to other parts of the woman’s/ man’s body by means of the lymphatic system

Question 6

Approximately how many percentage of lymph from the breast travels and where to?

Answer 6

75% of the lymph from the breast travels to the same side axillary lymph nodes, whilst 25% of the lymph travels to the parasternal nodes (beside the sternum bone), to the other breast, and to the abdominal lymph nodes