What is benign breast calcification?

In middle-aged and elderly women, calcium deposition can be seen on mammograms. What is this benign breast calcification? In fact, there are many reasons for this situation. It is possible that the breast has been traumatized in the past, or mastitis has occurred, etc. This calcification is mostly benign, so there is no need to worry too much. In addition to paying attention to your diet, you can also have regular checkups to ensure that no malignant changes have occurred.

Breast calcification is one of the common imaging manifestations of the breast, which refers to the imaging manifestation of calcium deposits that can be seen on mammograms. Many middle-aged and elderly women will find varying degrees of breast calcification during breast mammography examinations. It is generally believed that the occurrence of calcification in the breast is related to factors such as cell degeneration in the lesion area, calcium salt deposition after necrosis, and secretion of tumor cells and breast cells; calcification occurring in non-lesion breast tissue is related to factors such as inflammatory damage to local tissues and calcium salt deposition after damage repair.

There are two types of breast calcifications found in mammography: macrocalcifications and microcalcifications. Macrocalcifications are usually degenerative changes inside the breast. They are mostly caused by previous damage or inflammation of the breast, or by aging of the breast arteries, and are generally not related to cancer. Microcalcifications refer to calcium spots that may be found in areas where cells are rapidly decomposing. These remnants left behind by rapidly decomposing cells can appear as microcalcifications, which are not cause for concern if they are sparse, but when they appear in large clusters, they may indicate the presence of small tumors.

Breast calcification can be divided into benign calcification and malignant calcification according to its shape, size and degree of aggregation. Most breast calcifications seen clinically are actually benign calcifications. Generally speaking, a regular breast mammography report should indicate the BI-RADS grade of calcification. Grades 1 to 3 are benign, while grades 4 and above may be malignant. In particular, certain specific forms of breast calcification are high-risk factors for breast cancer. Clinical examination data show that calcification can be found in 65% of breast cancers during breast mammography examination, of which 70% are malignant calcifications. Therefore, if the examination finds breast calcification of grade 4 or above, the doctor will recommend further examinations, such as breast color ultrasound, CT, breast magnetic resonance imaging (MR), breast puncture biopsy, etc. to clarify the diagnosis and guide the next step of diagnosis and treatment.

Highly malignant breast calcifications are divided into the following categories, which require the vigilance of doctors and patients.

1. Granular punctate calcification: Polymorphic and inhomogeneous calcification is more suspicious than amorphous calcification, and its size and shape vary.

2. Casting calcification: The diameter is often less than 0.5 mm, linear or linear branching calcification, or thin and irregular linear calcification, often discontinuous. These signs indicate that calcification is formed from the ductal cavity invaded by breast cancer.

3. Clustered microcalcifications: often the only X-ray sign of early breast cancer. The morphology, size, number and density of microcalcifications can reflect the nature and extent of the lesions. Tiny calcifications may be located inside or around the mass, with a total number of 6 to 15, with uneven density and size.

We need to remind everyone that the important basis for judging the impact of breast calcification on the body is not the number of calcifications, but the shape of each calcification. Therefore, if a mammogram reveals calcifications in the breast, there is no need to be confused or panic, as calcification does not necessarily mean breast cancer. It is recommended to follow the guidance of breast specialists and professional doctors and have regular follow-up visits.