So Your Mammogram Shows “Microcalcifications” – What does that mean?

So your mammogram showed “something” and they’re called “microcalcifications.”  What does that mean? Microcalcifications is just a very long word for very small things: tiny specs of calcium that reside in breast tissue.

That’s it – small mineral deposits that can show up in the breast for lots of different reasons. They can be scattered throughout the breast or clustered up in small groups. Microcalcifications are common and many are clearly benign or not cancerous. In some cases microcalcifications are an early sign of breast cancer. Change in microcalcifications is an important thing the radiologists look for, so having any previous studies available is quite helpful. Change in microcalcifications or lining up and branching like a duct are some signs that might make a radiologist recommend a biopsy to get a tissue sample. When microcalcifications are biopsied, the large majority turn out to be benign or non-cancerous.

While microcalcifications may show up on your mammogram, you will not feel anything because of their small size. Mammography is one of the best ways of finding these tiny calcium deposits which will not be seen by ultrasound or MRI.

So while your radiologist may take a second look, it’s okay to breathe. Most of the time the microcalcifications will be a normal benign finding for you. If a biopsy is recommended, know that in a majority of patients the results will be non-cancerous.