Chapter 18

Question 1

Which of the following statements is true regarding the internal structures of the breast? The
breast is made up of:

a) Primarily muscle with very little fibrous tissue.
b) Fibrous, glandular, and adipose tissues.
c) Primarily milk ducts, known as lactiferous ducts.
d) Glandular tissue, which supports the breast by attaching to the chest wall.

Answer 1

ANS: B
The breast is made up of glandular, fibrous (including the suspensory ligaments), and adipose
tissues.

Question 2

In performing a breast examination, the nurse knows that examining the upper outer quadrant
of the breast is especially important. The reason for this is that the upper outer quadrant is:

a) The largest quadrant of the breast.
b) The location of most breast tumors.
c) Where most of the suspensory ligaments attach.
d) More prone to injury and calcifications than other locations in the breast.

Answer 2

ANS: B
The upper outer quadrant is the site of most breast tumors. In the upper outer quadrant, the nurse
should notice the axillary tail of Spence, the cone-shaped breast tissue that projects up into the
axilla, close to the pectoral group of axillary lymph nodes.