The Radiology and Medical Imaging Department at Al-Thaqalain Oncology Hospital, affiliated with the Health and Medical Education Authority at the Holy Shrine of Imam Hussain, has successfully used Contrast-Enhanced Mammography (CEM) to evaluate a breast tumor in a 39-year-old woman from Dhi Qar Governorate.

Ali Samir Atwan Al-Kinani, Director of Al-Thaqalain Oncology Hospital, explained that the patient was referred to the hospital after a conventional mammogram detected a breast mass. However, ultrasound imaging was unable to precisely locate the lesion. A conventional breast MRI was also ruled out by her treating physician because the patient had previously undergone heart valve replacement surgery.

In response to these diagnostic challenges, specialists in the Radiology and Medical Imaging Department opted to use CEM as an advanced alternative imaging technique.

Al-Kinani explained that the procedure involves administering a contrast agent followed by specialized mammographic imaging to identify areas of contrast enhancement within the breast tissue. This enables specialists to determine the location and extent of the lesion more precisely and helps guide subsequent biopsy procedures.

He noted that the availability of CEM expands the hospital's diagnostic options for breast conditions and can reduce the need for patients to travel elsewhere to obtain advanced imaging services.

Al-Kinani emphasized that the adoption of CEM reflects Al-Thaqalain Hospital's commitment to providing advanced diagnostic technologies and improving the accuracy and efficiency of breast disease and cancer diagnosis. He added that the technology forms part of the hospital's broader efforts to strengthen specialized diagnostic services for patients with breast conditions.