Name: Salman Saad Bin Shaber
MSc, King Saud Medical City, Radiology Department, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Name: Fahad Mohammed Alsahli
MSc in MRI, King Saud Medical City, Medical Imaging Department, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Name: Maher Mohammed Alotaibi
BSc in Radiology, King Saud Medical City, Medical Imaging Department, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Name: Yasser Ahmad Alahmad
BSc in Radiology, King Saud Medical City, Medical Imaging Department, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Name: Bandar Mohammad Alajmy
BSc in Radiology, King Saud Medical City, Medical Imaging Department, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Name: Saud Fohaid Alqahtani
BSc in Radiology, King Saud Medical City, Medical Imaging Department, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Name: Nourah Bader Hadhoud
Mammography, King Saud Medical City, Medical Imaging Department, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Name: Khaled Mohammed A AL Moadi
BSc in Radiology, King Saud Medical City, Medical Imaging Department, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Evaluating the Diagnostic Performance of Breast Imaging Modalities in Light of Age-Specific Distribution and Breast Cancer Subtypes at King Saud Medical City
ABSTRACT
Background: Understanding age-specific breast cancer characteristics and imaging efficacy is crucial for tailored screening protocols, particularly in populations with unique epidemiological patterns like Saudi Arabia. Methods: This retrospective study characterized breast cancer subtypes and evaluated the diagnostic efficacy of mammography, ultrasound, and MRI. Data were collected from 148 Saudi women (ages 30–70) presenting with confirmed BI-RADS 4/5 lesions at King Saud Medical City. Results: A significant proportion of cases (56.4%) occurred in women under 50, with a peak incidence in the 40–49 age group (34.1%). Younger patients exhibited a higher prevalence of aggressive subtypes; for instance, TNBC was 24.7% in ages 30–39 compared to 12% in ages 60–70 (p<0.01). While MRI showed superior diagnostic accuracy (91.7%) across all age groups, ultrasound significantly outperformed mammography in women under 50 (sensitivity 82.7–85.3% vs. 68.2–74.5%, respectively; p<0.01). Conclusion: These findings underscore the need for age-adapted, multimodal breast cancer screening protocols in Saudi Arabia. Integrating advanced imaging, particularly ultrasound, is essential for younger women to enhance early detection, optimize diagnostic pathways, and refine national guidelines based on the unique epidemiological and biological profiles observed in this population.
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