Final answer:
Axillary nodes that are matted or fixed suggest an abnormal process such as infection, inflammation, or cancer, with a particular concern for metastatic disease where cancer has spread from the primary site.
Step-by-step explanation:
When axillary nodes are described as being 'matted' or 'fixed to skin or deep structures,' it generally indicates the presence of an abnormal process, such as infection, inflammation, or most concerning, cancer. These terms are used to characterize the way the nodes feel upon examination.
'Matted' nodes are lymph nodes that have grown together and can't be easily moved or separated by palpation, while 'fixed' nodes are ones that seem attached to either the skin or underlying structures, suggesting they cannot be easily moved.
In the context of cancer diagnosis and staging, such as in the use of radioisotope scans depicted by Figure 24.11.2, the presence of dark spots in areas like the armpits in a scan may represent areas where cancer cells exist and to which the radioisotope-tagged antibodies are binding. This is indicative of metastatic disease where the cancer has spread from the primary tumor site to distant regions.