Biomaterial Database

The relationship of mammographic microcalcification to histologic malignancy: radiologic-pathologic correlation. 1989

M J Homer, and H Safaii, and T J Smith, and D J Marchant

Department of Radiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, New England Medical Center Hospitals, Boston, MA.

Forty consecutive cases of nonpalpable breast carcinoma presenting on the mammogram as microcalcifications without an associated mass were reviewed. The precise relationship between the mammographic microcalcification and the histologic carcinoma was determined in each case. In 25 cases (63%), the mammographic calcium was confined to the tumor, and in 13 cases (33%), the calcification was present both within the tumor and contiguous to the tumor margin. In two cases (5%), the calcium was not contained within the tumor but was located next to it. In one of these cases, the calcium was within 4 mm of the malignant neoplasm and in the other it was within 13 mm. No difference was seen between the appearance of the calcifications located within the tumor and the appearance of calcification next to the tumor. Precise histologic analysis revealed that microcalcifications that had prompted biopsy were confined to the tumor in 63%, within and contiguous to the tumor in 32%, and within 13 mm of the tumor in 5%.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008327	Mammography	Radiographic examination of the breast.	3D-Mammography,Digital Breast Tomosynthesis,Digital Mammography,X-ray Breast Tomosynthesis,3D Mammography,3D-Mammographies,Breast Tomosyntheses, Digital,Breast Tomosyntheses, X-ray,Breast Tomosynthesis, Digital,Breast Tomosynthesis, X-ray,Digital Breast Tomosyntheses,Digital Mammographies,Mammographies,Mammographies, Digital,Mammography, Digital,X ray Breast Tomosynthesis,X-ray Breast Tomosyntheses
D001943	Breast Neoplasms	Tumors or cancer of the human BREAST.	Breast Cancer,Breast Tumors,Cancer of Breast,Breast Carcinoma,Cancer of the Breast,Human Mammary Carcinoma,Malignant Neoplasm of Breast,Malignant Tumor of Breast,Mammary Cancer,Mammary Carcinoma, Human,Mammary Neoplasm, Human,Mammary Neoplasms, Human,Neoplasms, Breast,Tumors, Breast,Breast Carcinomas,Breast Malignant Neoplasm,Breast Malignant Neoplasms,Breast Malignant Tumor,Breast Malignant Tumors,Breast Neoplasm,Breast Tumor,Cancer, Breast,Cancer, Mammary,Cancers, Mammary,Carcinoma, Breast,Carcinoma, Human Mammary,Carcinomas, Breast,Carcinomas, Human Mammary,Human Mammary Carcinomas,Human Mammary Neoplasm,Human Mammary Neoplasms,Mammary Cancers,Mammary Carcinomas, Human,Neoplasm, Breast,Neoplasm, Human Mammary,Neoplasms, Human Mammary,Tumor, Breast
D002114	Calcinosis	Pathologic deposition of calcium salts in tissues.	Calcification, Pathologic,Calcinosis, Tumoral,Microcalcification,Microcalcinosis,Pathologic Calcification,Calcinoses,Calcinoses, Tumoral,Microcalcifications,Microcalcinoses,Tumoral Calcinoses,Tumoral Calcinosis
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man