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GuideWisdom™

This WisdomCard managed by: Chris Miller

Breast calcification is a deposit of calcium in the breast tissue. Calcifications appear as tiny white spots on a mammogram.¹ There are two types of breast calcification, macrocalcification and microcalcification. Macrocalcifications are large deposits and are usually not related to cancer. They are degenerative changes in the breast resulting from old injuries, inflammations, or aging of the breast arteries and are usually not related to cancer.²

Fast Facts:

• --Calcifications occur in approximately 50% of women in the U.S.²
• --About 10 % of women under the age of 50 are diagnosed with calcifications.²
• --Some radiologists recommend needle-localization biopsies to test for malignancy²

Top Resources on Macrocalcification

• HealthCentral: What Is The Definition Of Breast Calcifications?
• TargetWoman: Types of Breast Calcification: Macrocalcifications
• WikiAnswers: What Is Breast Calcification?
• Breastcancer.org: Repeat Mammograms For Benign Changes?
• MeDiCaLGeeK: Picture Of Breast Macrocalcification
• Radiology: Abnormal Testis At US In Patients After Orchiectomy For Testicular Neoplasm

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GuideWisdom and Fast Facts References

1. ↑ TargetWoman: Types of Breast Calcification: Macrocalcifications
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3} HealthCentral: What Is The Definition Of Breast Calcifications?

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