Calcifications in the Breast

Calcifications are mineral deposits (containing calcium) in the breast. These are unrelated to your dietary calcium intake. The calcium deposits can be within the ducts, within the lobules or outside the glandular tissue. For anatomy of the breast, see www.radiologymalaysia.org/breasthealth/Who/allabout.htm

They can develop for many reasons such as: old injuries, resorbed blood (from a haematoma), dried up secretions (remember, the breast is made up of glands), inflammation, aging, cancer and dead tissue cells. It can also be due to metabolic diseases such as hyperparathyroidism. Calcifications in the breast can also be the calcifications in blood vessels, skin, oil cysts/fat or fibroadenomas. These are typically benign.

Calcifications appear as small white spots in the mammogram and are normally not well seen on ultrasound, especially the tiny microcalcifications. Some patterns of microcalcifications (shape and layout of the calcifications) can alert the very well, and is one of the reasons why mammograms can pick up breast cancer at it very earliest stages – before one can feel anything!
 

Examples of cancerous calcifications – magnification (enlarged close up views)

Macrocalcifications are coarse calcium deposits that are more likely due to non cancerous conditions, aging of the breast arteries, old injuries, or inflammation and even a degenerated fibroadenoma (benign growth in the breast). These normally do not require further tissue testing (biopsy).
 

Examples of benign (non-cancerous) calcifications

Vessel calcifications	Typical benign egg-shell type calcificatios
These are injection granulomas (reaction due to injection of materials such as liquid paraffin or silicon into the breasts)	Calcifications that have developed over time in the surgical scar (after surgical biopsy was done).

Calcifications are common in “healthy breasts” and are usually not cancerous.

During the reading of the mammogram, the Radiologist will recommend additional views (magnification/spot views) and/or a biopsy, if they see worrisome calcifications. The tissue/calcifications sample (biopsy) will be to determine whether the calcifications are from normal tissue or a new cancer. Sometimes, it is just close mammogram follow up to watch the progress of the calcifications in the breasts (mammogram in 6 months).

Early Detection
Can Save Your
Life!

Mammography need not be a difficult procedure. Remember to relax and communicate with the lady mammographer. Before you know it, it's all over!