Article Details

Background: Uterine fibroids are the most common benign tumours of the uterus, and ultrasound is the first-line imaging modality for their detection and characterization. Radiographers perform many of these examinations, yet little is known about their perspective on the strengths and limitations of ultrasound in Southern Nigeria. Objective: To assess the role of ultrasound in the diagnosis of uterine fibroids from the perspective of radiographers, including their familiarity with the FIGO classification, the technical and operational challenges they encounter, and their awareness of risk factors for fibroids. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional survey enrolled 100 licensed radiographers working in selected hospitals and diagnostic centres in Imo, Abia, Lagos and Edo (Benin City) States, in the South-East, South-West and South-South regions of Nigeria, using total enumeration. Data were collected with a structured, pre-tested questionnaire and analyzed using frequencies, percentages and 95% Wilson confidence intervals. Results: Most respondents were aged 20-29 years (81%), female (62%) and held a B.Sc. degree (83%); 87% had five years of experience or less, and 54% worked in private diagnostic centres. Sixty-eight percent were familiar with the FIGO classification. Respondents agreed that ultrasound is effective for submucosal (76%), intramural (79%) and subserosal (80%) fibroids, whereas 70% found pedunculated fibroids difficult to classify by ultrasound alone and 63% reported limitations in detecting very small fibroids. Opinion was divided on whether ultrasound can differentiate fibroids from adenomyosis (53% disagreed that it may fail to do so; 45% agreed). Operator skill (89%), patient body habitus (84%) and bowel gas (73%) were identified as important technical factors. Inadequate equipment (83%), high patient load (83%), poor patient cooperation (83%), insufficient continuing professional training (85%) and limited access to MRI (85%) were identified as operational challenges. Age (85%), hormonal imbalance (85%) and hypertension (67%) were recognized as risk factors. Conclusion: Radiographers in this setting regard ultrasound as a valuable first-line modality for uterine fibroids but report substantial technical and system-level constraints. Improved equipment, continuing professional development, adequate staffing, standardized FIGO-based reporting and access to MRI for equivocal cases are likely to strengthen diagnostic practice. These findings reflect perceptions rather than measured diagnostic accuracy.