Diagnostic Accuracy of Mammography in Symptomatic Patients at Civil Hospital, Karachi

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the diagnostic accuracy of mammography in symptomatic patients by using histopathology as a gold standard. Material and Methods: This was a Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study, done in the Radiology Department, Dow University of Health Sciences/Civil Hospital Karachi, over a period of one year. This study includes 140 patients with sign/symptoms of breast disease referred to our department for mammography. Patients were selected according to study criterion. Mammography was performed after taking detailed history and breast examination. Mammograms were interpreted by consultant radiologist and final diagnosis of the lesion on mammography had made which was compared with the histopathology. The primary performance outcomes of diagnostic mammography like sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive and negative predictable values were calculated. Results: Mean age of the patients was 48.42 ±10.5years. Out of 140 patients, 91 (65%) showed malignant lesions while 49 (35%) having benign lesions. 85 patients out of 91 (93.4%) who labeled as malignant on mammography were proven malignant on histopathology and 41 patients out of 49 (83.6%) who labeled as benign on mammography were came out benign on histopathology. This study showed the sensitivity of 91.3%, specificity of 87.2% and accuracy of 90% when mammographic diagnosis was compared with gold standard histopathology. Conclusion: Breast cancer is the most common and potentially curable disease, and the mammogram is an important tool for its diagnosis so there is dire need of mammographic set up all over the Pakistan to detect breast cancer early and reduce mortality.

Keywords

• mammography
• breast lumps
• nipple discharge
• breast pain
• histopathology
• breast cancer