Journal of Southern Medical University ›› 2014, Vol. 34 ›› Issue (04): 523-.

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Pathological and mammographic findings of microcalcification in calcified breast
carcinoma without a mass

  

  • Online:2014-04-20 Published:2014-04-20

Abstract: Objective To explore the correlation between pathological findings and mammographic features of
microcalcification in calcified breast carcinoma without a mass. Methods The morphology and distribution of the
microcalcification lesions displayed by mammography were retrospectively analyzed in 108 cases of the calcified breast
carcinoma without a mass in comparison with the pathological findings of the lesions. Results The mammographic
morphology or distribution of the microcalcification lesions did not differ significantly across different pathological types of
calcified breast carcinoma without a mass (P>0.05). The microcalcification lesions showed no significant morphological
difference between invasive and noninvasive breast carcinomas (P>0.05). Fine pleomorphic calcifications were frequently
found in both invasive and noninvasive breast carcinomas, but fine linear and fine linear branching calcifications and mixed
maglinant calcifications were more common in invasive breast carcinoma. The distribution of the microcalcifications showed
significantly different patterns between invasive and noninvasive breast carcinoma (P=0.006), characterized by segmental and
cluttered distributions of the lesions, respectively. Conclusion There is no specific mammographic features in correlation with
the pathological types of microcalcification lesions in calcified breast carcinoma without a mass, but invasive and noninvasive
calcified breast carcinomas have different mammographic features in the morphology and distribution of the
microcalcifications to allow their preoperative differentiation.