Breast calcifications are deposits of the mineral calcium located in breast tissue. While breast calcifications can sometimes indicate breast cancer, most breast calcifications do not. Breast calcifications occur commonly, particularly in post-menopausal women. Even if tests determine that breast calcifications are benign, a physician should monitor them for any change in appearance.
Types
Two types of breast calcifications exist: macrocalicfications and microcalcifications. Macrocalcifications are larger than microcalcifications. BreastCancer.Org describes macrocalcifications as akin to "big grains of coarse kosher salt (like on pretzels)"and microcalcifications as akin to "grains of salt."Radiologists may describe calcifications by using the American College of Radiology's Breast Imaging Data Reporting System (BI-RADS). The radiologist will likely describe the calcifications' size, shape and distribution pattern.
Detection
Breast calcifications usually prove too small to feel. They are typically detected through a mammogram. The calcifications will appear on the mammogram image as white flecks. According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), ultrasound does not consistently detect microcalcifications. The NCI also states that MRI "cannot detect microcalcifications." A 2007 study published in the official journal of the Italian Society of Medical Radiology, "La Radiologia medica," concluded that MRI "cannot be considered a diagnostic tool for evaluating microcalcifications."
Causes
Calcium in the diet does not cause breast calcifications. Breast cancer can cause calcifications, but several other possible factors can cause them. Calcifications can form as a result of some other damage to the breast tissue. The Harvard Women's Health Watch notes that various types of breast damage---surgery, radiation, trauma, infection or a cyst---can lead to the formation of breast calcifications.
Treatment
If the calcifications do not look suspicious for cancer, physicians will likely leave them in the breast. Macrocalcifications do not typically indicate cancer, and some microcalcifications may be left in the breast for observation. When the patient has her next mammogram, physicians should compare the new images to the previous images so that the calcifications can be monitored for change. The physician may recommend that the patient increase the frequency of her mammograms. If the calcifications look suspicious for cancer, the physician will recommend a biopsy. The only way to confirm the presence of cancer is with a biopsy.
Warning
While most breast calcifications prove benign, microcalcifications can indicate breast cancer. For example, a tight cluster of irregularly shaped microcalcifications often prove suspicious. BreastCancer.Org estimates that only twenty percent of microcalcification biopsies show cancer. The calcifications themselves are not cancer, but they can be indicators of the disease.
