You may have a calcium deposit and not even know it's there. Or you may have some that you are all too aware of. There is no single cause of calcium deposits. The formation of bone tissue is controlled by two hormones; the parathyroid hormone, and calcitriol which your body makes from vitamin D3. Both of these hormones regulate the blood calcium to be available to deposit it where and when you need it. Calcium deposits occur when something triggers the system to allow calcification somewhere other than bone tissue. Some calcium deposits may be reabsorbed by the body.
Infection and Malignancy
Infection can cause a calcium deposit in any lymph node. Small calcium deposits occur in many tissues. Histoplasmosis or tuberculosis can form granulomas in the lungs which later calcify. These calcium deposits are called calcified granulomas and do not require treatment. These and other diseases can cause calcium deposits between the lungs. Small and even micro-calcifications are seen in breast tissue and can be entirely benign from a cyst or other tissue damage or a sign of malignancy. They are not a cancer, but can form in the cancerous tissue. They are visible on a mammogram and are one of the alerts the radiologist will be looking for. Looking at the size of the calcifications, and the pattern they form, will help the physician decide if a biopsy is needed.
Injury and Degenerative Disease
Osteoarthrosis, also called osteoarthritis, is a degenerative condition that can trigger calcium deposits in or around the joints that are affected. The Mayo Clinic explains that bone spurs are bony projections which develop along the edges of bones. The bone spurs themselves aren't painful, but they can rub against nearby nerves and bones, causing tenderness. They may be the body's way of attempting to replace non-bone tissues lost by degenerative conditions. Bone spurs are called osteophytes, and are common in the spine with several disease conditions. Injured joints may develop osteoarthrosis as may joints that bear too much weight or are overused as in sports.
Joints have capsules around them containing a fluid to lubricate the joint. Pieces of the lining of the capsule can break off into the fluid and become calcified. This can be the result of injury, and usually appears in the larger joints. This problem tends to get worse over time as more calcium is added to the already calcified tissue. This condition is called synovial chondromatosis and causes swelling and pain.
Other and Unknown Causes
The rotator cuff in the shoulder is the area most prone to tendon calcium deposits. It isn't known exactly why, but one theory is poor blood flow to the area. Age may also be a factor with this shoulder condition, and it can be more painful and limiting than a rotator cuff tear. However, any tendon can be affected, including the smaller joints in the hand. Calcium deposits in tendons are called calcific tendinitis. Disorders of thyroid and estrogen metabolism may be a factor.
Several conditions can cause calcium deposits in soft tissue, often referred to as nodules. Not all nodules are calcium deposits, however. Some of the conditions are hereditary as with familial tumoral calcinosis, and some are related to diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis according to the "Journal of Clinical Rheumatology".In some individuals, hypodermic injections may cause calcium deposits beneath the skin.
References
- "Clinical Radiology"; The pattern and distribution of calcified mediastinal lymph nodes in sarcoidosis and tuberculosis: a CT study.; April, 1996
- Mayo Clinic
- "Journal of Shoulder & Elbow Surgery"; Calcific tendinitis: natural history and association with endocrine disorders.; Harvie, Pollard, Carr ; Mar-Apr 2007
- Genetics Home Reference
- "Journal of Clinical Rheumatology"; What is That Nodule?'; Amy Evangelisto, MD, Victoria Werth, MD, and H. Ralph Schumacher, MD; October 2006
