The significance of spontaneous resolution of breast calcification

Abstract

Spontaneously resolving breast microcalcification is a rarely reported occurrence. A retrospective review was carried out on 33 cases of resolving benign and indeterminate microcalcification identified from 108,000 screening mammograms from the South West London Breast Screening Service. Four further cases are reported from The Jarvis Breast Screening Centre. No interval cancers were identified in women with microcalcification which initially showed benign appearances. However, 36.4% of the group with resolving indeterminate microcalcification subsequently developed cancers. It is recommended that this change should prompt full investigation and close follow-up or excision. While the majority of spontaneously resolving microcalcification is associated with benign processes, it is concluded that a significant proportion of disappearing indeterminate microcalcification is associated with malignancy.