Analysis of Screening Mammography in a Tertiary Health Facility in Birnin Kebbi, Northwest Nigeria

Abstract Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in women worldwide and the leading cause of cancer death in both developed and developing countries. Mammography is a highly effective and widely used imaging modality for breast cancer screening and detection. This study is aimed atdocumenting the mammographic patterns of 92 females who had screening mammography at Federal Medical Centre Birnin Kebbi. The study was conducted in the department of radiology, Federal Medical Centre Birnin Kebbi from January, 2020 to December, 2023. The sociodemographic data and clinical history of the participants were obtained using a mammographic patient information form consisting of variables such as age, occupation, age at menarche, last menstrual period, marital status, parity, age at menopause, family history of breast cancer, previous breast surgery, use of contraceptives, previous mammography, biopsy and use of hormonal replacement therapy. A total of 92 females had screening mammography. All the participants had mediolateral (MLO) and craniocaudal (CC) views with additional views in selected participants. The mammograms were acquired on digital mammographic films and reported by two consultant radiologists, independently in different sessions. The findings were assigned and categorized using BI-RADS classification method.The participant’s ages ranged from 40 to 68 years with a mean of 53.8 ± 9.1 years. Sixty-three (68.5%) had normal mammograms; the abnormal findings were: axillary lymph nodes 12 (13.0%), benign breast masses 10 (10.9%), parenchymal architectural distortion 4 (4.3%) and macro-calcifications 3 (3.3%). No breast masses with malignant features were seen. Majority of the participants for screening mammography were found to have normal mammograms; this indicates that the burden of breast disease is low in the study area. This study sheds light on the patterns and demographics of mammographic screening in Birnin Kebbi, northwest Nigeria, indicating a moderate participation rate, with a mammography prevalence of 31.5% among women who were screened. Keywords:Analysis breast cancer, mammography, screening