They don’t need to be removed and won’t cause you any harm. If the calcifications look benign, nothing more needs to be done. They usually occur because of benign (not cancer) changes and do not need to be investigated. They often occur because of benign (not cancer) changes, but occasionally microcalcifications can be an early sign of cancer. They will categorise the calcifications as looking benign, indeterminate (uncertain) or suspicious of being cancer. their pattern – such as scattered, in a line or in a group.their shape – such as round, ‘popcorn like’ or ‘large rod like’.When calcifications are found, they will look carefully at: When you have a mammogram, the image is looked at by one or more radiologists or specialist practitioners (doctors and other trained staff who specialise in the use of imaging to diagnose and treat disease). The calcifications show up on a mammogram as small white dots. How are breast calcifications found?īreast calcifications are usually found by chance during a routine screening mammogram or during an investigation at a breast clinic for another breast problem. Because of this, you may need further tests to check what sort of calcifications you have. Occasionally, breast calcifications can be an early sign of cancer.
These may be age-related or caused by other medical conditions but don’t usually require further assessment.īreast calcifications are more common in women, but can also be found in men. They can also form if you’ve had an infection in your breast, if you’ve injured your breast, or if you’ve had surgery or a breast implant.īreast calcifications can develop in the blood vessels of the breast. Sometimes they form because of other benign changes in the breast, such as a fibroadenoma or breast cyst. They are usually due to benign (not cancer) changes that occur as part of aging. They are very small so you won’t be able to feel them, and they don’t cause any pain.īreast calcifications are very common.
What are breast calcifications?īreast calcifications are small dots of calcium salts that can occur anywhere in the breast tissue. Do breast calcifications increase my risk of breast cancer?Ħ.