Beyond the Mammogram: New Insights into Breast Calcifications
Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, in collaboration with the Mayo Clinic and the University of Texas at Austin, have made a significant discovery about breast calcifications.
According to the study, benign and cancerous calcium phosphate deposits, which can appear identical on a mammogram, have distinct differences in their structures and formation processes.
“Dense calcifications are very common in breast tissue. They are seen easily on a mammogram, which doctors can use to classify benign, probably benign and suspicious categories,”
said study leader Bruce Fouke. The findings provide the first detailed descriptions of how calcifications form in breast tissue and suggest new diagnostic criteria.
- Distinct differences in structures and formation processes between benign and cancerous calcium phosphate deposits
- New diagnostic criteria could lead to fewer benign biopsies
- Guiding therapeutic development for breast cancer treatment
Author's summary: Study reveals differences between benign and cancerous breast calcifications.