We carried out 30 comparison studies to establish the relationship between mammography and pathology findings in 29 patients with malignant breast tumors that presented calcifications associated with the lesion on the mammograms. The main purpose of this work was to verify whether the shapes of the calcifications correspond to specific types of tumor, and could be related to the location they originate from. Two objective features of the calcifications observed on the mammograms were studied: shape and distribution. This study showed that carcinomas of the comedo type presented a high frequency of pleomorphic calcifications (95.5%) and a ductal distribution pattern in 66.5% of the cases. Cribriform carcinomas that were not associated to the comedo type presented only round calcifications in 66.5% of the cases, prevailing an undefined distribution pattern (78.5%). Micropapillary tumors that were not associated to the comedo type presented only round calcifications in 66.5% of the cases, prevailing an undefined distribution pattern (66.5%). None of the tumors showed a lobular distribution pattern. Shapeless calcifications in the absence of a tumoral nodule may be suggestive of infiltrative ductal carcinoma. Considering the histological architectural pattern of the 30 tumors, 24 (80%) showed the expected calcification shapes.
Mammography; Breast calcifications; Pathologic anatomy
