What are calcifications, and what do they mean on a mammogram?
A. Calcifications are visible as discrete, white spots seen on the mammogram; these represent calcium deposits / calcium salts, and may appear as randomly scattered grains of coarse-ground salt, clustered together as fine grains of salt of various shapes and sizes, as larger grains of gravel, or even as round, distinct white densities over the mammogram film. Calcium is a by-product of breast tissue metabolism and cell turnover due to reproductive and hormonal changes throughout a woman’s life. A vast majority of these changes are not cancer. The radiologist can describe which ones are not worrisome (benign) and which ones need to be biopsied to see if they are associated with a cancer.
