What is calcification in the breast?
Breast calcifications are small calcium deposits found in your breast tissue. It’s very common to develop these areas of calcium, especially as you age. Because calcifications in the breast can’t be felt, they’re usually found during a screening mammogram.
Most of the time, breast calcifications are harmless or benign. However, some calcifications can be a very early sign of breast cancer. Your care team will carefully examine any areas of breast calcification seen on your mammogram so you can have peace of mind about your breast health.
Types of calcifications:
Breast calcification symptoms
Breast calcifications don’t cause any symptoms. Because they are so small, you can’t feel these calcium spots with a breast exam. Most people don’t know they have areas of calcification in the breast until they go in for an annual screening mammogram. When X-ray images are taken during this routine screening, breast calcifications appear on the images as bright, white spots.
Because microcalcifications don’t cause symptoms but can be an early sign of precancerous
cells or breast cancer, it’s important to get your annual screening mammogram. Mammograms
easily detect these calcifications and give your care team vital information to guide your care.
You can also be proactive about your breast health by addressing other breast symptoms and
talking to your doctor.
Our breast imaging centers near you
We offer several locations for your care, including women’s imaging centers in North and Central Texas, to monitor and diagnose breast calcifications.
