Initiating a National Mammographic Screening Program: The Kuwait Experience Training With a US Cancer Center.

Abstract

To train Kuwait radiologists and technologists in breast imaging to create a Kuwait national mammography screening program (KNMSP) that provides high quality safe mammography services meeting international standards for early detection of small invasive breast cancers in asymptomatic women. 5 radiologists, 6 technologists and 1 physicist/radiation protection technologist from Kuwait trained at <i>x hospital</i> over a 3 year period utilizing Society of Breast Imaging/American College of Radiology guidelines and Food and Drug Administration Mammography Quality Standards Act requirements for education program content. On site visits in Kuwait were provided by <i>x hospital</i> radiologists and technologists 3 times during the program. The KNMSP was implemented to provide asymptomatic women ages 40–69 screening mammography services. A lead Kuwaiti breast radiologist collected and analyzed mammography results and outcome data utilizing descriptive statistics. 6933/164000 (4.2%) Kuwaiti women were screened with 83 cancers detected, 74 invasive and 9 ductal carcinoma in situ. Screening mammography sensitivity was 97.6%, specificity 88.2%, and PPV³ 37.1%. Diagnosis was stage 0 in 9/83 (10.8%), Stage 1 in 24/83(28.9%), Stage 2 in 34/83 (41%), Stage 3 in 11/83 (13.3%) and Stage 4 in 5/83 (6.0%). 80% of women with breast cancer were diagnosed with tissue biopsy within 4 weeks of their screening mammogram. The KNMSP demonstrates the successful training of Kuwait radiologists and mammography technologists with implementation of a national screening mammography program in Kuwait with acceptable sensitivity and specificity and timely diagnosis of early stage breast cancers.