TY - JOUR
T1 - Mixed form, diffusely scattered calcifications in breast cancer with apocrine features
AU - Kopans, Daniel B.
AU - Nguyen, Phuong L.
AU - Koerner, Frederick C.
AU - White, George
AU - McCarthy, Kathleen A.
AU - Hall, Deborah A.
AU - Mrose, Helen
AU - Cardenosa, Gilda
AU - Pile-Spellman, Eliza
PY - 1990/12
Y1 - 1990/12
N2 - Diffusely scattered calcifications visible with mammography are almost always benign. Certain patterns, however, should arouse concern. For example, extensive comedocarcinoma is associated with large areas of mammographically visible calcium deposition. The authors identified 10 women in whom calcifications were visible throughout large volumes of breast tissue at mammography. The calcifications did not resemble those typical of extensive comedocarcinoma, yet they were associated with extensive breast cancer. Their mammographic pattern was characterized by a strikingly wild, chaotic appearance with profuse deposition of calcium. As in many cancers, the particles were heterogeneous, but unlike in most carcinomas, many deposits had a typically benign morphology. Histologic examination showed that even these typically benign calcificitions were associated with malignant cells. The authors believe that the apocrine features displayed by many of the cancer cells in these 10 patients may explain the unusual profusion of calcium deposits.
AB - Diffusely scattered calcifications visible with mammography are almost always benign. Certain patterns, however, should arouse concern. For example, extensive comedocarcinoma is associated with large areas of mammographically visible calcium deposition. The authors identified 10 women in whom calcifications were visible throughout large volumes of breast tissue at mammography. The calcifications did not resemble those typical of extensive comedocarcinoma, yet they were associated with extensive breast cancer. Their mammographic pattern was characterized by a strikingly wild, chaotic appearance with profuse deposition of calcium. As in many cancers, the particles were heterogeneous, but unlike in most carcinomas, many deposits had a typically benign morphology. Histologic examination showed that even these typically benign calcificitions were associated with malignant cells. The authors believe that the apocrine features displayed by many of the cancer cells in these 10 patients may explain the unusual profusion of calcium deposits.
KW - Breast neoplasms, diagnosis, 00.3211
KW - Breast, calcification, 00.812
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0025245392&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Article
C2 - 2173843
AN - SCOPUS:0025245392
SN - 0033-8419
VL - 177
SP - 807
EP - 811
JO - Radiology
JF - Radiology
IS - 3
ER -