Breast Calcifications

What are breast calcifications?
Breast calcifications are calcium deposits within the breast. Extremely common in women of all ages, calcifications are typically found during a screening mammogram, appearing as white spots similar to grains of salt. They usually cannot be felt.

There are two kinds of breast calcifications:

• Macrocalcifications appear as large white dots or dashes and are almost always noncancerous.
• Microcalcifications appear as very fine white specks and are typically noncancerous. A radiologist will determine if the microcalcifications are suspicious and if a biopsy is needed.

Noncancerous calcifications can be caused by many different things such as:

• fibrocystic changes
• previous injury to the breast
• fibroadenomas (noncancerous growths)
• aging of the arteries in the breast
• calcium within the fluid of a noncancerous cyst
• dilated milk ducts

When irregular calcifications are discovered
Most calcifications seen during a mammogram are benign and can be recognized as such due to their appearance. However, if certain patterns—such as tight clusters with irregular shapes—are found, they may need to be analyzed more closely. Your radiologist may suggest a diagnostic mammogram with magnification views. Magnification views allow the radiologist to analyze the shape and distribution of the calcifications within the breast and often determine whether calcifications are benign or cancerous.

If the radiologist feels strongly that breast calcifications are benign, then a biopsy may not be necessary, but routine follow-up mammograms are important to allow continued monitoring of the calcifications over time. If the radiologist wants to take an even closer look, a needle biopsy is necessary to analyze the significance of the calcifications. At Charlotte Radiology, we realize a needle biopsy may be an emotionally stressful experience. Our group is trained to make this safe, minimally invasive procedure as comfortable and quick as possible.

back to the top