| ORIGINAL ARTICLE |
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| Year : 2020 | Volume
: 33
| Issue : 2 | Page : 61-64 |
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Breast-light device as an adjuvant for clinical breast examination in breast examination clinic/Al-Yarmouk Teaching Hospital-Baghdad
Rasha W Omar1, Jamal M Alkhudhair2
1 Iraqi Ministry of Health, Al-Yarmouk Teaching Hospital, College of Medicine, Al-Mustansiriyah University, Baghdad, Iraq
2 Department Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, Al-Mustansiriyah University, Baghdad, Iraq
Correspondence Address:
Dr. Jamal M Alkhudhair
Department Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, Al-Mustansiriyah University, Baghdad
Iraq
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None
DOI: 10.4103/IRJCM.IRJCM_3_21
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Background: The low survival rates of breast cancer in less developed countries such as Iraq are mainly attributed to a lack of awareness programs, resulting in a high proportion of women presenting in late stages, in addition to the limited capacity for early diagnosis and effective multimodality treatment. Objectives: The objective of the study was to compare the outcome of clinical breast examination with breast light device use. Patients and Methods: This descriptive hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of 305 women attending a breast examination clinic in Al-Yarmouk Teaching Hospital-Baghdad, from January 1, 2015 to July 30, 2015. Study tools included “The Breast light” which is a handheld device that transilluminates the breast with a red light that is absorbed by hemoglobin yielding dark shadows in areas of high vascularity (including malignancy). The breast-light device was used for breast examination, together with a clinical breast examination. Results: The study showed moderate agreement in the detection of breast abnormalities between clinical breast examination and breast light examination (kappa 43%). Neither breast mass size nor its location showed significant differences when comparing the results of the two methods. Moreover, mastalgia appeared to be the most frequent presentation in the examined women. Conclusion: Detecting ability of breast abnormalities could be raised, when integrating clinical breast examination with breast light. In addition, breast light could be a valuable aid for family doctors at the primary health care level, as it is easy to use, portable, and not invasive.
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