Breast changes with microcalcifications detected by mamography or other imaging studies are diverse. Sometimes, we hesitate to decide what work―up to perform. In this study, to evaluate the indications for future testing, we compared imaging and pathological findings of calcified lesions that were indicated for stereotactic mammotome biopsy and diagnosed. We report our study results, with a review of the literature. Ninety―four women were studied who had undergone stereotactic mammotome biopsies in our hospital between January 2008 and December 2013. Of these patients, 43(44.7%)had breast cancer, and 37(86.0%)of them had DCIS. Mammographically, 37 calcified lesions were minute and round, 44 were amorphous, and 13 were pleomorphic. Breast cancer accounted for 45.9, 34.0, and 92.3% of the respective lesions, and the majority of the minute and round and amorphous lesions were benign. Although stereotactic mammotome biopsy is useful for the detection of early―stage cancer, it is important to determine the indications to avoid overdiagnosing calcified lesions. In category 3 calcifications, amorphous calcifications were observed significantly less frequently in cancers. The background breast tissue density in category 3 calcifications was significantly higher or heterogeneously higher in patients who were indicated for testing. These results suggest that, when the density of calcifications is very low, further follow―up should be considered, and that, when the breast tissue density is high or heterogeneously high, care should be taken to avoid overdiagnosing breast cancer, keeping in mind that mammographic findings associated with breast calcifications are difficult to interpret, thereby narrowing down the indications for stereotactic mammotome biopsy.
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