Symptoms
Breast calcifications
Definition
Causes
When to see a doctor
Causes
Sometimes calcifications indicate breast cancer, such as ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), but most calcifications result from noncancerous (benign) conditions.
Possible causes of breast calcifications include:
- Breast cancer
- Breast cysts
- Cell secretions or debris
- Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS)
- Fibroadenoma
- Mammary duct ectasia
- Previous injury or surgery to the breast (fat necrosis)
- Previous radiation therapy for cancer
- Skin (dermal) or blood vessel (vascular) calcification
Products that contain radiopaque materials or metals, such as deodorants, creams or powders, may mimic calcifications on a mammogram, making it more difficult to interpret whether the calcifications are due to benign or cancerous changes. Because of this, skin products of any kind should not be worn during a mammogram.