Malignant calcifications

All other types of calcification are potentially malignant and, as such, should be considered with suspicion.

Grade II ACR classifications include all poorly distinct, amorphous, fuzzy calcifications which are too small to be individually analysed. If they are associated with other suspicious images (such as a spiculated mass or an architectural distortion), they require histological biopsy (or at least very close observation).

Heterogeneous or pleomorphic calcifications are highly suspicious if they form a cluster of calcifications irregular in shape, size, and tending to measure <0.5mm.

One should also be cautious before thin, irregular calcifications that appear linear from a distance, but are distinct on closer examination and measure <1mm in width.

They result from the irregular calcification of necrotic tumour in the lumen of a duct irregularly involved by breast cancer.

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Malignant linear calcifications	Pleomorphic calcifications	Pleomorphic calcifications	Pleomorphic calcifications	Detail of pleomorphic calcifications
Malignant linear calcifications	Detail of malignant linear calcifications	Suspicious microcalcifications and masses	Suspicious microcalcifications	Large area of microcalcifications