Breast Microcalcifications Suspected of Malignancy

Abstract

Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of death by cancer among women in the Western world. The application of specific primary breast cancer prevention measures is limited for the general population. In the secondary prevention measures, efforts have been directed at early diagnosis. In this scenario, mammography is widely used as the most efficient means for breast cancer early detection. Mammary microcalcifications are often detected through screening mammography. Although most of them are benign, some may be cancerous. Thus, many biopsies originated from screening mammography programs aim to investigate microcalcifications suspected of malignancy. Therefore, it is necessary to appropriately qualify these microcalcifications, considering that the procedure to be followed is based on their precise analysis. In view of these facts, the present study has been based on the possibility of revising the characteristics of these microcalcifications, and contributing to improve the clinical practice as well as their diagnostic interpretation through mammography. The articles used to support this study have been researched in the online Medline, Lilacs and Pubmed databases, using keywords such as “mammography”, “breast neoplasms”, “calsinosis”. It has been concluded that in typically malignant microcalcifications, breast segments must be biopsied. In those suspected of malignancy, even after extensive study of their features, if they do not present enough signs of benignity in mammography, they must be investigated by a histopathological study. However, inconsistencies in microcalcification´s classification persist depending on morphology, suspicion level and final recommendations from BI-RADS™. Thus, more studies on the radiological-pathological relationship are important to improve the specificity of these variables.