What is Microcalcification in the Breast?

Microcalcification in the breast is very small scale particles of lime formed in the breast detected on mammography examination. These calcifications can be seen in a specific region of the breast on mammography, or they can be seen in a diffuse manner. The majority of microcalcifications in the breast are benign formations.

Since the mammary tissue is an organ that is programmed to produce milk and there is the highest amount of calcium in the milk, if the calcium stays in the mammary tissue for a long time, it forms lime particles due to freezing. In some cases, these lime particles can be seen in the earliest stages of breast cancer. Thanks to these limes, mammography enables the detection of breast cancer at a very early stage. In some cases, even in non-cancer cases, the institute provides early diagnosis at the stage that is the beginning of the cancer, which is expressed as cancer. Calcifications seen in cancerous tissue may take place in a slightly different situation than calcifications in normal sizes in the breast. The texture, number, and structural maintenance of the type of calcification help determine whether it is a cancerous cell. The characteristics of cancerous tissue are much different than the tissue of benign calcifications. Pieces of the breast are taken from these areas of the breast with needle biopsies or vacuum biopsies, accompanied by mammography follow-up, from patients who are suspected to have cancer initiation due to microcalcification calcifications in the breast detected as a result of mammography examination. Depending on the situation, fine needle biopsy or coarse needle biopsy is determined according to the structure of the part to be taken.

As a result of the detection of microcalcification in the breast during the follow-ups, surgical intervention can be considered according to the nature and number of the calcification. While performing these procedures, vacuum biopsies can also be performed according to the technical structure of the hospital. In cases where vacuum biopsies cannot be performed, wire marking is performed on the area where microcalcification is detected in the breast before the surgical operation. This wire marking is an application made to facilitate the surgeon's work during the operation and to provide an instant image. Thus, the place and region of the wire can be easily removed during the surgery. If a surgical operation is performed for wire marking, a mammography film is taken at the same time. If the findings of microcalcification in the breast are seen on mammography, the surgery is terminated. If some calcifications are still encountered, the cleaning of the area is continued during the operation and the operation is terminated. According to the result after the surgery, the treatment is continued to be planned.