title: Audit of mammography requests in Abakaliki, South-East Nigeria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Breast cancer is the leading cancer in women in both developed and developing countries. Screening mammography detects breast cancer even before a lump can be palpated, with better prognosis. The introduction of mammographic technique for screening breast cancer, despite its importance, has been slow to adopt and virtually non-existent in many parts of Sub-Saharan Africa including Nigeria. For this reason, the indications of mammography have not been well defined in our setting. The aim of this study was to audit our mammography requests, with a view to improving its application in our setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a descriptive study carried out on 69 female patients who had mammography at the National Obstetric Fistula Centre, Abakaliki, from January 2014 to December 2015. Findings on clinical examination were entered in a proforma. Mammography was performed in craniocaudal and mediolateral views using the Lorad M-IV (film-screen) mammography machine. Data was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All 69 patients were females. Their mean age was 42.1 ± 11 years. Majority of the patients (69.6%) were between 30 and 49 years. The commonest indication for mammography was breast lump which was found in 46 patients (66.7%). Breast pain was present in 36 (52.2%) of patients. The different Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BIRADS) categories were BIRADS 0: 20 (28.99%), BIRADS 1: 8 (11.59%), BIRADS 2: 9 (13.04%), BIRADS 3: 4 (5.8%), BIRADS 4: 19 (27.54%) and BIRADS 5: 9 (13.04%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Diagnostic mammography remains the commonest indication for mammography in our setting. Public awareness, poverty reduction and ready availability of mammography facilities are required to improve screening mammography in our setting.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Nigeria.
authors.forename: U E
authors.initials: UE
authors.lastname: Eni
authors.affiliation: National Obstetric Fistula Centre, Abakaliki, Nigeria.
authors.forename: K C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Ekwedigwe
authors.affiliation: National Obstetric Fistula Centre, Abakaliki, Nigeria.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sunday-Adeoye
authors.affiliation: National Obstetric Fistula Centre, Abakaliki, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Abc
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Daniyan
authors.affiliation: National Obstetric Fistula Centre, Abakaliki, Nigeria. maradona4real2002@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Isikhuemen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001940:Breast / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography / Q000379:methods*; D008485:Medical Audit; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009549:Nigeria; D011379:Prognosis; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Abakaliki; Audit; Breast cancer screening; Diagnostic mammography; Nigeria; Screening mammography