Aa
calcifications in dense breat tissue
Should I ask for more testing, and if so what tests, as my last mammogram with extra views came back with some new very small calcifications. Scatterd, no clusters. And I had a few in previous mammog. that I had not known of. My concern is that I have VERY dense breast tissue and a family hx of breast cancer in my mother and her 2 sisters. I am 50 this year.
Thank you!
Thank you!
Thank you! Perfect input. They just recommended a repeat extended mammo. in a year. So I will stop worrying and ask for my score. Thanks again!
Hi.
Experienced Radiologists are quite able to identify typically benign breast calcifications depending on their form and pattern..All women have dense breast tissue when they are young,but as they age,the dense tissue is replaced by fatty tissue.The mammogram report includes a measure of breast density and the radiologist would have recommended more investigation if things were not clear or suspicious.
Scattered calcifications are normal in breast tissue and they are not harmful.Only the ones that grow in a cluster are suspicious because they sometimes cluster around a mass.Calcification can be caused by many benign conditions such as calcifications in a dilated milk duct,cysts,fibroadenomas, infection,or just skin calcification.
There is score assigned on your mammography report called BIRADS.(Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System).
This system is used by radiologist to categorize how suspicious the calcifications are.The scores go from 0 to 5.The higher the score the more suspicious are the findings .
You don't say what has been recommended by your radiologist,but it's important to know what your score is.You could call him/her to find out about it.Depending on your score, you and your doctor will know if the calcifications are nothing to worry about or if they have to be monitored every 3 or 6 months,or biopsied .
If you feel uncomfortable waiting for a follow up,(because of your family history) you could have your films read by another radiologist for a second opinion to make sure that no further testing is necessary for the moment.
Wishing you all the best..
Experienced Radiologists are quite able to identify typically benign breast calcifications depending on their form and pattern..All women have dense breast tissue when they are young,but as they age,the dense tissue is replaced by fatty tissue.The mammogram report includes a measure of breast density and the radiologist would have recommended more investigation if things were not clear or suspicious.
Scattered calcifications are normal in breast tissue and they are not harmful.Only the ones that grow in a cluster are suspicious because they sometimes cluster around a mass.Calcification can be caused by many benign conditions such as calcifications in a dilated milk duct,cysts,fibroadenomas, infection,or just skin calcification.
There is score assigned on your mammography report called BIRADS.(Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System).
This system is used by radiologist to categorize how suspicious the calcifications are.The scores go from 0 to 5.The higher the score the more suspicious are the findings .
You don't say what has been recommended by your radiologist,but it's important to know what your score is.You could call him/her to find out about it.Depending on your score, you and your doctor will know if the calcifications are nothing to worry about or if they have to be monitored every 3 or 6 months,or biopsied .
If you feel uncomfortable waiting for a follow up,(because of your family history) you could have your films read by another radiologist for a second opinion to make sure that no further testing is necessary for the moment.
Wishing you all the best..
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Breast Cancer Community
A quick primer on the different ways breast cancer can be treated.
Diet and digestion have more to do with cancer prevention than you may realize
From mammograms to personal hygiene, learn the truth about these deadly breast cancer rumors.
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
