[Simulation of the metastatic spread of mammary carcinoma by evaluation of the shortest routes in a computerized model of the lymphatic system represented in a three-dimensional map].

A simulation model of mammary lymphatics has been realized by a computerized system to draw a tridimensional map of all lymphnode stations (axillary, supraclavear and internal mammary lymphnodes) draining from the breast. The purpose was to identify the minimal routes between tumor and lymphnodes and among different nodal points that represent lymphnodes of the lymphatic net situated at various distance from tumor. A simulation of node metastatization has been performed giving to every route of the model a different weight represented by the distance between the nodes.