Radiologic Pattern of Uterine Leiomyoma among Rural Women Undergoing Routine Pelvic Ultrasonography in South-South Nigeria

Abstract

Uterine leiomyomas are benign tumours of myometrial origin and are the most common solid uterine neoplasms in women and more prevalent among African women. The study was aimed at evaluating the radiologic pattern of uterine leiomyoma among rural women in South-South Nigeria.
Materials and Methods: A descriptive study design was adopted with 1460 women in June 2017 and June 2018 in Degema and Bakana towns in Nigeria during a free medical care programme organised by the Kalabari National Association–USA. Real time grey scale ultrasonography using Sonolite Edge Portable Ultrasound machine fitted with 3.5MHz curvilinear transducer was used after obtaining informed consent. The collated results were analyzed using SPSS statistical software version 21.0 and presenting all in charts, tables, and figures. Eta correlation was used to evaluate association between variables.
Results: The overall mean age (±standard deviation) of participants was 33.44+5.39years with a range of 18-56years and majority of participants were overweight 38.49% while 31.30% were obese. Majority of the leiomyomas were intramural constituting 47.60% followed by subserosal and submucosal constituting 28.63% and 23.77% respectively. Multiple leiomyomas were more common with majority of the masses found in the anterior wall of the uterus. Ovarian cyst was the most common co-existing pelvic lesion with leiomyoma.
Conclusion: The radiologic pattern of uterine leiomyoma shows that intramural leiomyomas are commoner in all age groups and multiple leiomyomas more than solitary lesions. An uncommon teenage leiomyoma was seen in a 19-year-old.