{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,22]],"date-time":"2026-01-22T12:00:53Z","timestamp":1769083253650,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":61,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,21]],"date-time":"2026-01-21T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1768953600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS One"],"abstract":"<jats:sec id=\"sec001\">\n                    <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Gynecological conditions are common among premenopausal women and significantly affect fertility, quality of life, and productivity. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) offers superior soft tissue characterization compared to other modalities but local data on MRI patterns in Sub-Saharan Africa remain limited.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec id=\"sec002\">\n                    <jats:title>Objective<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>To determine the MRI patterns of gynecological conditions among premenopausal women at Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH), Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec id=\"sec003\">\n                    <jats:title>Materials and methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>A prospective descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from July to December 2022 among 100 premenopausal women aged 18\u201345 years referred for pelvic MRI. Data on socio-demographic, clinical, and imaging findings were analyzed using SPSS version 20. Associations were assessed using chi-square and logistic regression, with significance set at p\u2009&lt;\u20090.05.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec id=\"sec004\">\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>The majority of participants (80%) were aged above 30 years, and 51% were nulliparous. The prevalence of gynecological conditions was 82%, with uterine fibroids being the most common (37%), followed by simple ovarian cysts (8%) and ovarian tumors (7%). Lower abdominal pain (65%) was the most frequent symptom. Women aged \u226530 years (OR=10.4, 95% CI: 2.5\u201343.1, p\u2009=\u20090.001) and nulliparous women (OR=5.2, 95% CI: 1.9\u201313.6, p\u2009=\u20090.001) were significantly more likely to have fibroids, while parity was protective against other gynecological tumors (OR=0.3, 95% CI: 0.1\u20130.9, p\u2009=\u20090.03). MRI demonstrated characteristic lesion patterns aiding differentiation between benign and malignant lesions.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec id=\"sec005\">\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Gynecological conditions are highly prevalent among premenopausal women, with fibroids being the leading diagnosis. MRI plays a key role in their detection and characterization. Advancing age and nulliparity are significant predictors of fibroids, while parity appears protective against other tumors.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec id=\"sec006\">\n                    <jats:title>Recommendations<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Further multi-center studies incorporating histopathological correlation and longitudinal follow-up are recommended to strengthen diagnostic accuracy and clinical applicability.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0340424","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,21]],"date-time":"2026-01-21T18:30:15Z","timestamp":1769020215000},"page":"e0340424","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Magnetic resonance imaging patterns of premenopausal gynaecological conditions among women at Muhimbili National Hospital"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"21","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0009-8518-5000","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Merciana G.","family":"Mliga","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Zuhura","family":"Nkrumbih","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Ramadhan","family":"Kazema","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Amina","family":"Mbaga","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,21]]},"reference":[{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0340424.ref001","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"9","DOI":"10.1186\/s12905-020-00927-5","article-title":"Socio-demographic characteristics and associated factors influencing cervical cancer screening among women attending in St. Paul\u2019s Teaching and Referral Hospital, Ethiopia","volume":"20","author":"AB Woldetsadik","year":"2020","journal-title":"BMC Womens Health"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0340424.ref002","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1000374","DOI":"10.4172\/2167-0420.1000367","article-title":"Gynecological morbidity among women in reproductive age: a systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"6","author":"M Dheresa","year":"2017","journal-title":"J Womens Health Care"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0340424.ref003","first-page":"28","article-title":"Role of magnetic resonance imaging in evaluation of uterine pathologies and its correlation with ultrasound","volume":"8","author":"M Prabakaran","year":"2019","journal-title":"Int J Anat Radiol Surg"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0340424.ref004","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2406","DOI":"10.37506\/ijfmt.v15i3.15672","article-title":"Technical Accuracy and Efficiency of Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Evaluation of Uterine Masses in Comparison with Ultrasound","volume":"15","author":"HM Abd-Aljabbar","year":"2021","journal-title":"Indian J Forensic Medicine & Toxicology"},{"key":"pone.0340424.ref005","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"358","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jpsychires.2021.07.018","article-title":"Factors associated with the diagnosis of depression in women followed in gynecological practices in Germany","volume":"141","author":"M Drewes","year":"2021","journal-title":"J Psychiatr Res"},{"key":"pone.0340424.ref006","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"661360","DOI":"10.3389\/frph.2021.661360","article-title":"Prevalence of common gynecological conditions in the middle east: systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"3","author":"M Mousa","year":"2021","journal-title":"Front Reprod Health"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0340424.ref007","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.9734\/jammr\/2020\/v32i230361","article-title":"Review of gynaecological diagnoses and surgeries performed at a tertiary health facility in Niger-Delta of Nigeria from 2012\u20132017: implications for healthcare planning and budgeting","volume":"32","author":"PA Awoyesuku","year":"2020","journal-title":"J Adv Med Med Res"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0340424.ref008","first-page":"295","article-title":"Gynaecological malignancies at a tertiary care centre in Mozambique","volume":"40","author":"C Lorenzoni","year":"2019","journal-title":"Eur J Gynaecol Oncol"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0340424.ref009","article-title":"Incidence of cervical, endometrial, and ovarian cancer in Korea during 1999-2015","volume":"30","author":"MC Lim","year":"2019","journal-title":"J Gynecol Oncol"},{"issue":"6","key":"pone.0340424.ref010","first-page":"871","article-title":"World trends of incidence of gynecologic malignancies in young women","volume":"39","author":"KY Tse","year":"2018","journal-title":"Eur J Gynaecol Oncol"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0340424.ref011","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"161","DOI":"10.31083\/j.ceog.2021.01.2198","article-title":"Congenital uterine anomalies and perinatal outcomes: a retrospective single-center cohort study","volume":"48","author":"E Zambrotta","year":"2021","journal-title":"Clin Exp Obstet Gynecol"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0340424.ref012","first-page":"88","article-title":"Pelvic inflammatory disease: an evidence-based guideline","volume":"1","author":"IA Filho","year":"2018","journal-title":"Interv Gynaecol Womens Healthc"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0340424.ref013","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"167","DOI":"10.1097\/RUQ.0b013e31815202df","article-title":"Computed tomographic and magnetic resonance features of gynecologic abnormalities in women presenting with acute or chronic abdominal pain","volume":"23","author":"GM Kalish","year":"2007","journal-title":"Ultrasound Q"},{"key":"pone.0340424.ref014","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5825","DOI":"10.21608\/ejhm.2019.64082","article-title":"Role of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in abnormal uterine bleeding","volume":"77","author":"M Tharwat","year":"2019","journal-title":"Egypt J Hosp Med"},{"key":"pone.0340424.ref015","first-page":"2","article-title":"Health risk analysis","volume":"3","author":"P Health","year":"2017","journal-title":"Health Risk Anal"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0340424.ref016","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"316","DOI":"10.1097\/CEJ.0b013e328329d830","article-title":"Hormone-related factors and gynecological conditions in relation to endometrial cancer risk","volume":"18","author":"A Zucchetto","year":"2009","journal-title":"Eur J Cancer Prev"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0340424.ref017","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"122","DOI":"10.1186\/s12905-020-00985-9","article-title":"Gynecological hysterectomy in Northern Tanzania: a cross- sectional study on the outcomes and correlation between clinical and histological diagnoses","volume":"20","author":"D Michael","year":"2020","journal-title":"BMC Womens Health"},{"key":"pone.0340424.ref018","author":"CA A","year":"2009"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0340424.ref019","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"758","DOI":"10.12669\/pjms.35.3.834","article-title":"Risks with Gynaecological problems on the health of University Students","volume":"35","author":"RH Akarsu","year":"2019","journal-title":"Pak J Med Sci"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0340424.ref020","first-page":"180","article-title":"Clinical characteristics of endometriosis in adolescent patients","volume":"34","author":"S Zhao","year":"2021","journal-title":"J Pediatr Adolesc Gynecol"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0340424.ref021","first-page":"201","article-title":"Peritoneal endometriosis in adolescents: a cohort study","volume":"22","author":"E Zupi","year":"2015","journal-title":"J Minim Invasive Gynecol"},{"key":"pone.0340424.ref022","author":"University College London","year":"2020"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0340424.ref023","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"575","DOI":"10.1097\/01.AOG.0000154151.14516.f7","article-title":"Risk factors for young premenopausal women with endometrial cancer","volume":"105","author":"PT Soliman","year":"2005","journal-title":"Obstet Gynecol"},{"issue":"5","key":"pone.0340424.ref024","article-title":"Endometrial carcinoma in women aged 40 years or younger: a retrospective study","volume":"10","author":"S Moradan","year":"2016","journal-title":"J Clin Diagn Res"},{"issue":"6","key":"pone.0340424.ref025","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2004","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fertnstert.2008.12.059","article-title":"Association of adolescent obesity and lifetime nulliparity","volume":"93","author":"Study of Women\u2019s Health Across the Nation (SWAN)","year":"2010","journal-title":"Fertil Steril"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0340424.ref026","first-page":"1","article-title":"The risk of breast and gynecological cancer in women with a diagnosis of infertility","volume":"34","year":"2019","journal-title":"Eur J Epidemiol"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0340424.ref027","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"111","DOI":"10.33545\/gynae.2020.v4.i1b.451","article-title":"MRI as an imaging tool in abnormal uterine bleeding among non-gravid women","volume":"4","author":"M Jain","year":"2020","journal-title":"Int J Clin Obstet Gynaecol"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0340424.ref028","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"38","DOI":"10.24248\/easci.v4i1.58","article-title":"Prevalence, clinical presentation and factors associated with Uterine fibroids among women attending the Gynecology Outpatient Department at a large Referral Hospital in Southwestern Uganda","volume":"4","author":"M Adawe","year":"2022","journal-title":"EASci"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0340424.ref029","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"61","DOI":"10.1080\/17441730902790131","article-title":"Women\u2019s reproductive morbidity and treatment-seeking behaviour in India","volume":"5","author":"SC Gulati","year":"2009","journal-title":"Asian Population Studies"},{"issue":"58","key":"pone.0340424.ref030","first-page":"99","article-title":"Gynaecological morbidity among women in Bombay slum","volume":"21","author":"IA Dharmawan","year":"1990","journal-title":"A Work Pap"},{"key":"pone.0340424.ref031","first-page":"1","author":"RW Stones","year":"2000"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0340424.ref032","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"175","DOI":"10.2307\/2939232","article-title":"A community study of gynecological and related morbidities in rural Egypt","volume":"24","author":"N Younis","year":"1993","journal-title":"Stud Fam Plann"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0340424.ref033","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"55","DOI":"10.1093\/heapol\/16.1.55","article-title":"Health-care seeking and expenditure by young Indian mothers in the public and private sectors","volume":"16","author":"JC Bhatia","year":"2001","journal-title":"Health Policy Plan"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0340424.ref034","first-page":"230","article-title":"Pattern of gynecological morbidity, its factors and health-seeking behavior among reproductive age group women in a rural community of Thiruvananthapuram district, South Kerala","volume":"26","author":"A Abraham","year":"2014","journal-title":"Indian J Community Health"},{"issue":"10","key":"pone.0340424.ref035","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"807","DOI":"10.1089\/jwh.2013.4334","article-title":"The burden of uterine fibroids for African-American women: results of a national survey","volume":"22","author":"EA Stewart","year":"2013","journal-title":"J Womens Health (Larchmt)"},{"issue":"9516","key":"pone.0340424.ref036","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1066","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(06)68397-9","article-title":"WHO analysis of causes of maternal death: a systematic review","volume":"367","author":"KS Khan","year":"2006","journal-title":"Lancet"},{"issue":"10","key":"pone.0340424.ref037","first-page":"1112","article-title":"Pelvic ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis of pelvic pathologies: a population-based study in Scandinavia","volume":"94","author":"AF Haggerty","year":"2015","journal-title":"Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand"},{"issue":"5","key":"pone.0340424.ref038","first-page":"1579","article-title":"Sonographic characteristics and histopathological findings of gynecologic masses at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital","volume":"95","author":"CM Ongeti","year":"2018","journal-title":"East Afr Med J"},{"issue":"6","key":"pone.0340424.ref039","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ajog.2009.12.013","article-title":"Inpatient hospitalization for gynecologic disorders in the United States","volume":"202","author":"MK Whiteman","year":"2010","journal-title":"Am J Obstet Gynecol"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0340424.ref040","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"257","DOI":"10.21276\/obgyn.2022.8.2.19","article-title":"A study to analyze and correlate histopathology of hysterectomy specimen, ultrasonography and clinical presentation in perimenopausal women with abnormal uterine bleeding","volume":"8","author":"R Sharma","year":"2022","journal-title":"obgyn"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0340424.ref041","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"193","DOI":"10.1007\/s00261-012-9896-0","article-title":"Pelvic inflammatory disease: evaluation of diagnostic accuracy with conventional MR with added diffusion-weighted imaging","volume":"38","author":"W Li","year":"2013","journal-title":"Abdom Imaging"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0340424.ref042","first-page":"3197","article-title":"Role of MRI in detecting female infertility","volume":"8","author":"AA Jean","year":"2021","journal-title":"Eur J Mol Clin Med"},{"key":"pone.0340424.ref043","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3","DOI":"10.1016\/j.bpobgyn.2017.09.004","article-title":"Epidemiology and risk factors of uterine fibroids","volume":"46","author":"D Pavone","year":"2018","journal-title":"Best Pract Res Clin Obstet Gynaecol"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0340424.ref044","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"740","DOI":"10.18203\/2320-1770.ijrcog20200369","article-title":"Association between uterine leiomyoma with body mass index and parity in the women of coastal Karnataka, India","volume":"9","author":"C A","year":"2020","journal-title":"Int J Reprod Contracept Obstet Gynecol"},{"key":"pone.0340424.ref045","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"6","DOI":"10.1186\/1472-6874-12-6","article-title":"Prevalence, symptoms and management of uterine fibroids: an international internet-based survey of 21,746 women","volume":"12","author":"A Zimmermann","year":"2012","journal-title":"BMC Womens Health"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0340424.ref046","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"118","DOI":"10.1186\/s13244-019-0807-6","article-title":"Cross-sectional imaging of acute gynaecologic disorders: CT and MRI findings with differential diagnosis-part II: uterine emergencies and pelvic inflammatory disease","volume":"10","author":"PV Foti","year":"2019","journal-title":"Insights Imaging"},{"issue":"12","key":"pone.0340424.ref047","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2997","DOI":"10.1007\/s00330-008-1086-7","article-title":"Patient selection guidelines in MR-guided focused ultrasound surgery of uterine fibroids: a pictorial guide to relevant findings in screening pelvic MRI","volume":"18","author":"S-W Yoon","year":"2008","journal-title":"Eur Radiol"},{"issue":"5","key":"pone.0340424.ref048","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"876","DOI":"10.1007\/s00270-007-9118-2","article-title":"Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) analysis of fibroid location in women achieving pregnancy after uterine artery embolization","volume":"30","author":"WJ Walker","year":"2007","journal-title":"Cardiovasc Intervent Radiol"},{"issue":"12","key":"pone.0340424.ref049","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2332","DOI":"10.1007\/s00261-016-0935-0","article-title":"MR imaging of atypical fibroids","volume":"41","author":"C Bolan","year":"2016","journal-title":"Abdom Radiol"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0340424.ref050","first-page":"105","article-title":"Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI) parameters in benign and malignant ovarian tumors with solid and cystic components","volume":"44","author":"Y Zhuang","year":"2019","journal-title":"Abdom Radiol"},{"issue":"5","key":"pone.0340424.ref051","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"897","DOI":"10.1007\/s00261-011-9814-x","article-title":"Diffusion-weighted MRI: a useful technique to discriminate benign versus malignant ovarian surface epithelial tumors with solid and cystic components","volume":"37","author":"W Li","year":"2012","journal-title":"Abdom Imaging"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0340424.ref052","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"987","DOI":"10.3390\/cancers14040987","article-title":"Diagnosing Ovarian Cancer on MRI: A Preliminary Study Comparing Deep Learning and Radiologist Assessments","volume":"14","author":"T Saida","year":"2022","journal-title":"Cancers (Basel)"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0340424.ref053","first-page":"696","article-title":"Dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI: a useful tool for characterizing ovarian epithelial tumors","volume":"260","author":"I Thomassin-Naggara","year":"2011","journal-title":"Radiology"},{"issue":"6","key":"pone.0340424.ref054","article-title":"Update on MR imaging of the adnexa: differentiation of benign and malignant lesions","volume":"51","author":"HA Vargas","year":"2013","journal-title":"Radiol Clin North Am"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0340424.ref055","first-page":"674","article-title":"Diffusion MRI of uterine and ovarian masses: identifying the benign lesions","volume":"44","author":"NM Kulkarni","year":"2016","journal-title":"J Magn Reson Imaging"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0340424.ref056","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"732","DOI":"10.2214\/AJR.05.0905","article-title":"MRI of sonographically indeterminate adnexal masses","volume":"187","author":"S Adusumilli","year":"2006","journal-title":"AJR Am J Roentgenol"},{"issue":"6","key":"pone.0340424.ref057","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1805","DOI":"10.1148\/rg.326125519","article-title":"The revised FIGO staging system for uterine malignancies: implications for MR imaging","volume":"32","author":"SJ Freeman","year":"2012","journal-title":"Radiographics"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0340424.ref058","first-page":"753","article-title":"Carcinoma of the cervix","volume":"154","author":"GL Taccagni","year":"1990","journal-title":"AJR Am J Roentgenol"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0340424.ref059","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"575","DOI":"10.1006\/gyno.2001.6451","article-title":"Risk factors for epithelial borderline ovarian tumors: results of a Swedish case-control study","volume":"83","author":"T Riman","year":"2001","journal-title":"Gynecol Oncol"},{"issue":"6","key":"pone.0340424.ref060","first-page":"1039","article-title":"Association of health and lifestyle factors with uterine fibroids among Saudi women: A case-control study","volume":"17","author":"R Muawad","year":"2022","journal-title":"J Taibah Univ Med Sci"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0340424.ref061","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"10","DOI":"10.4172\/2161-0932.1000350","article-title":"Prevalence and risk factors of uterine fibroids in North-East Slovenia","volume":"6","author":"T Bizjak","year":"2016","journal-title":"Gynecol Obstet"}],"container-title":["PLOS One"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0340424","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,21]],"date-time":"2026-01-21T18:30:24Z","timestamp":1769020224000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0340424"}},"subtitle":[],"editor":[{"given":"Athanasios G.","family":"Pantelis","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"editor","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,21]]},"references-count":61,"journal-issue":{"issue":"1","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,21]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0340424","relation":{},"ISSN":["1932-6203"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1932-6203","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,21]]}}}