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scattered microcalcifications
I'm 43 and have had regular mammograms for the past 3 years. I have always had normal (BIRAD1) results. This year, my results say that I am a BIRAD2 and have scattered microcalcifications in one breast. The only recommendation is to come back in 1 year for regular mammogram. I have no reason not to trust the facility, but am a little bit nervous regardless. Any advice would be welcome.
Dear nervous7: Microcalcifications are small calcium deposits found within the breast tissue. There are different types of microcalcifications, and based on their pattern on the mammogram it gives the radiologist clues as to their cause. For instance microcalcifications that are more scattered are probably due to a benign (non-cancerous) cause, a
From what I have read, calcifications are suspicious when they form a cluster. (A few years back I had a biopsy on microcalcs because they were clustered). Calcs are cells that die off from getting older or from an injury. When they are clustered it means that cells are dying off more in one area and that raises the suspicion for a possibility of a malignancy. When they are scattered around it is usually just normal aging and not suspicious. I am not a professional, and you should check with one, but I am pretty sure about what I have said! Try not to worry! I am sure you are fine!
From what I have read, calcifications are suspicious when they form a cluster. (A few years back I had a biopsy on microcalcs because they were clustered). Calcs are cells that die off from getting older or from an injury. When they are clustered it means that cells are dying off more in one area and that raises the suspicion for a possibility of a malignancy. When they are scattered around it is usually just normal aging and not suspicious. I am not a professional, and you should check with one, but I am pretty sure about what I have said! Try not to worry! I am sure you are fine!
I have both scattered calcifications and clustered calcifications in my breast. They always call the scattered ones "benign" and only worry about the clustered ones. I really don't think you have to worry about them unless they start clustering in suspicious formations.
Dear Montana girl-Today is your biopsy, right? I will be thinking of you and keeping you in my prayers. Please let us know how you make out. Ziggy
After waiting 45 min. for my biopsy, the radiologist called me in to go over my mammos with me in his office. This morning was the first time he saw the films. To make a long story short, he said he disagreed with the previous 2 radiologists (from Oct. and July) that read my mammos. He finds several homogeneous clusters, not pleomorhpic as written in previous report. He even looked at the mammos again when I brought it up. Homogeneous clusters like this are typically a benign condition. Finding several fibroadenomas is more typical of a benign condition, also. (I have both.) He also told me these calcifications are probably a result of my previous biopsy!!!!! I had previously been told just the opposite. Options: 1)pick one cluster and do a stereotactic altho he really feels it will be benign, 2)schedule a wire localizationto remove the whole area of calcifications - about 3 inches of tissue to get good margins, 3)follow-up every 6 months with magnified mammos. I've already had 2 surgeons tell me they didn't recommend removing the whole area of calcifications without more cause because it would be a major surgery. So, you guessed it, I'm doing the follow-up. The radiologist (in his late 50's) spoke from experience and also conferenced with my surgeon over the phone this morning, so I am comfortable with the decision. Thank you for all your prayers. They were answered in an unusual way. Now I get to enjoy a day off from work. I will keep you all in my prayers.
I think I would have opted to wait and watch as well. I'm so glad the radiologist took the time to review everything with you and that you didn't have to experience yet another proceedure.
It sounds like my experience was similar to yours. Didn't you also have a doctor tell you to wait and watch your calcifications (except yours was after an unsuccessful biopsy, wasn't it?)
Glad to hear your great news. I had a good day as well..my follow-up mammogram was absolutely clear. I can breathe easier until the next mammogram comes around.
Nope. I've had 3 biopsies for fibriadenomas that were all benign. The mammo, ultra sound, MRI, and biopsies took 3 months to complete. Oye!
I am so glad that everyone is getting such wonderful news! My mammo is scheduled for November 14. Please continue to keep me in your prayers! I am very nervous!
I'm so glad your mammo was normal. Are you on a 3 month mammo checkup schedule?
Yes, I'll pray your follow-up mammo is normal too.
The radiologist said that he will defer to my surgeon, if he feels that it is okay to wait for six months, the radiologist said it is okay with him too. As much as I felt that I was going to ne okay yesterday, there was still that nagging fear, that something was missed in the biopsy and I would be back at square one. It is a bit like Russian Roulette isn't it? But I am focusing on the positive and am thankful that "so far so good!"
PS you asked me what I teach...history to 100 high school students! Want to trade?
PS you asked me what I teach...history to 100 high school students! Want to trade?
I can see where each mammogram would still be stressful. But, the frequent monitoring should catch things early if anything does show up. I love my 1st graders (most of the time) and wouldn't trade for high school. Although NCLB has made my job much more stressful, I still have a LOT of fun with my little ones.
I have a question about feeling after a core biopsy. It was done the first week in october and the area was retroareolar. I feel pretty good soreness and pain gone except for pain in the nipple which started about a week ago. I feel it when touched, even when taking a shower I sheild it from the stream of water. I had a follow up mammogram done yesterday and they said everything looked good and my breast doctor would get in touch with me with the results. I was wondering why the irritation now? It started a few days before this follow up mammogram and now it is worse since. I am actually thinking of calling the doctor on monday. Anyone have similar problem? let me know
I would talk to the doctor but it is normal to feel sensations for many weeks after a biopsy.
I AM 46 YEARS OLD WITH SALINE IMPLOANTS. MY LEFT IMPLANT RUPTUREED ON FRIDAY THE 13TH!!!!!!!! I DID NOT HAVE A MAMOGRAM FOR 9 YEARS FOR FEAR MY IMPLOANTS WOULD RUPTURE WELL IT RUPTURED WITHOUT THE MAMO!!! SO MY PLOASTIC SURGEION SAID SHE WULD NOT OPERATE ON ME UNLESS I HAD A ROUTINE MAMO SOOOOO I WENT AND YES GUESS WHAT THEY FOUND CLUSTERS OF MICRCALCIFICATIONS ON MY LEFT BREAST. WHAT HORRIBLE NEWS I WAS SOOOOOOOO SCARED IT WAS A ABRIAD 4 SUSPICOIUS ABNORMALITIES NEEDS TO BE BIOPSIED. SO I WENT TO HAVE THE CORE ASPIRATION PROCEDURE BUT MY BOOB WAS TO SMALL I DID NOT HAVE ENOUGHT TISSUE FOR THEM TO EXTRACT SOOOO THEY HAD TO PUT ME UNDER AND PERFORM A LUMPECTOMY (WIHOUT THE LUMP) SO FOR TWO WEEKS I LIVED IN TOTALY WORRY AND AGONY AND HELL SCARED OF THE OUTCOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!! FINALY TODAY I GOT THE RESULTS NO CANCER!!!!!!!!!! PLEASE LADIES HAVE YOUR MAMO EVEN A 4 OR 5 RATING CAN BE BEGNIN IN FACT 85% OF THEM ARE DONT BE A FOOL LIKE ME AND WAIT , HAD MY IMPLANT NEVER RUPTURE I WOULD HAVE NEVER KINOW THERE WAS A CALCIFICATION. dONT BE SCARED GOD IS GRACIOUS AND WILL BE THERE FOR YOU!!!!
God Bless........bad things do happen for a good reason.......Implants tend to cause calcifications, so I am told. I do not have them, but since getting diagnosed with them, I've learned alot in a few weeks...I'm glad all turned out well for you and great advise, mammo's save lives.......cant' tell you how many ladies are going whom where afraid until they heard my story...and yes agree god is gracious........he brings you to it, he will bring you through it.
Ohmygod, sounds like my story! Except I don't have implants, but when I went for my stereotactic core biopsy (today), they couldn't do it. They didn't have enough thickness to work with when my boob was compressed. So next step is a surgical consult for an excisional biopsy. You said lumpectomy without the lump, is that the same thing? I don't have a lump either, just a tight cluster of microcalcs. Which I learned about on... yep, Friday the 13th.
Really good news though, that yours came back negative!! You must feel so relieved. The idea of going in for breast surgery is just so scary - and the waiting is the worst!
Really good news though, that yours came back negative!! You must feel so relieved. The idea of going in for breast surgery is just so scary - and the waiting is the worst!
Hi:
Jus wondering, you have mircocalifications? They would go in with wire, that will pinpoint the cluster for the surgeon to easly go in and remove the cluster is so tiny, the incision should be quite small, and then it is tested for maligancy. I too have the micocalifications, and right from the start the surgeon is doing the biospy by removing the whole thing.
If you have micro califications, it is not cancer, it is pre-cancerous, and they test to see if it could be malignant, its a good thing as they see these and catch them on time.
I hope this helps. I never heard of it until it happened to me on my second mammo when they called me back from my first on 11/1, but you sure do become educated very quickly. 85% chance of being beningn...........
Jus wondering, you have mircocalifications? They would go in with wire, that will pinpoint the cluster for the surgeon to easly go in and remove the cluster is so tiny, the incision should be quite small, and then it is tested for maligancy. I too have the micocalifications, and right from the start the surgeon is doing the biospy by removing the whole thing.
If you have micro califications, it is not cancer, it is pre-cancerous, and they test to see if it could be malignant, its a good thing as they see these and catch them on time.
I hope this helps. I never heard of it until it happened to me on my second mammo when they called me back from my first on 11/1, but you sure do become educated very quickly. 85% chance of being beningn...........
Lauren:
I hope you get this, can't put anymore posts on the other, and the site is filled for the day.......but I so hope you get this.
MY GOSH, I LOVE CALIFORNIA, I'M A NEW YORKER, vistied CA a few times ENJOY THE BEAUTY OF IT, IT WONDERUL...........................SNOW,IS A PLANE RIDE AWAY, YOU CAN VISIT!!!! I hope you get this to tell you have a wonderful weekend, enjoy the harbor, I love the ocean, my dream to live by it one day, up here in the east coast however.....
Yes we do watch what to eat, but honey considering the circumstances why not enjoy!!!!
If you want to, you can reach me outside of this at ***@****.....
PRAYERS TO ALL AND KEEP SMILING
I hope you get this, can't put anymore posts on the other, and the site is filled for the day.......but I so hope you get this.
MY GOSH, I LOVE CALIFORNIA, I'M A NEW YORKER, vistied CA a few times ENJOY THE BEAUTY OF IT, IT WONDERUL...........................SNOW,IS A PLANE RIDE AWAY, YOU CAN VISIT!!!! I hope you get this to tell you have a wonderful weekend, enjoy the harbor, I love the ocean, my dream to live by it one day, up here in the east coast however.....
Yes we do watch what to eat, but honey considering the circumstances why not enjoy!!!!
If you want to, you can reach me outside of this at ***@****.....
PRAYERS TO ALL AND KEEP SMILING
Hope all went well, today. Emailed you a few times, as well. You're in my prayers. Let us know, when you're up to it, how you are.
Lauren
Lauren
The other thread is closed but I just wanted to say that I hope everything went well for you yesterday.
To answer your question though, yes I have microcalcifications, in a tight cluster in my right breast, very high up about halfway to the collarbone. From what my NP said a single cluster of microcalcs are VERY likely not to be advanced cancer but the only way to tell for sure is with a biopsy.
To answer your question though, yes I have microcalcifications, in a tight cluster in my right breast, very high up about halfway to the collarbone. From what my NP said a single cluster of microcalcs are VERY likely not to be advanced cancer but the only way to tell for sure is with a biopsy.
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