The value of clustered calcifications on mammography in the differential diagnosis of benignancy or malignancy in non-palpable breast lesions

Objective:To study the significance of clustered calcifications on mammography in the differential diagnosis of benignancy or malignancy in non-palpable breast lesions.Methods:The characteristics of clustered calcifications on mammography in 62 patients with non-palpable breast lesion was retrospectively analyzed.All were surgically and pathologically proven with guide wire placement under stereotactic mammography before operation.Results:Of the 62 cases with clustered calcifications,there were malignant lesions(20 cases) and benign lesions(42 cases).Among the malignant lesions,none of them showed Type Ⅱ calcification,there were Type Ⅲ calcification(5 cases),Type Ⅳ-calcification(10 cases) and Type Ⅴ calcification(5 cases).Of the benign lesions,there were Type Ⅱ calcification(20 cases),Type Ⅲ calcification(19 cases),Type Ⅳ-calcification(3 cases),none of them showed Type Ⅴ calcification.Of the malignant calcification,there were even density(2 cases),uneven density(18 cases);Of benign calcification,even density was showed in 35 cases,uneven density in seven cases.Significant statistical difference was existed in the morphology,concentration,evenness of density and the total number of calcification between benign and malignant lesions(P0.05).While marked significant difference was existed in the morphology and evenness of density of the calcifications(P0.01),no statistical difference was assessed in the size,density,extent and distribution of calcifications(P0.05).Conclusion:The morphology,concentration,evenness of density,and the number of calcifications showed important significance in the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant breast lesions.