Calcinates in the mammary gland: causes, how to detect, types, prevention

Under the influence of various adverse factors for women, pathological changes can occur in women in the tissues of the mammary glands, which leads to benign or even malignant diseases. The peculiarity is that by external signs it is not always possible to determine the degree of danger of the processes occurring. Some formations, for example, calcinates in the mammary gland, are detected only by X-ray. Mammography for preventive purposes for women should be done regularly. This will allow timely detection of such anomalies.

Content:

Detection of calcification in the chest in a woman

The causes of calcite formation

The causes of the deposition of calcium salts in the tissues of the breast can be:

Diseases associated with hormonal disorders in the body (benign - adenoma or mastopathy - and malignant). Quite often the formation of calcinates in the mammary gland takes place at the sites of inflammatory processes.
Incorrect metabolism is the result of diseases of the digestive system, the liver.
Excessive intake of drugs containing calcium and vitamin D3 (contributes to its assimilation in the body).
Stagnation of milk in the breast during lactation .

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Symptoms of calcification

To detect such formations by eye or by the method of palpation of the mammary gland is rare, only if they are large (more than 1 cm in diameter), located close to the surface. They do not show themselves. As a rule, pain in the mammary glands is absent. The presence of calcicates is only recognized with the help of mammography.

In the picture they look like dark spots. According to their type (shape, size), as well as the location and nature of the location, a specialist mammologist can determine the type of disease. Calcium crystals in the breast are not dangerous in themselves, but their formation can be a symptom of serious pathologies.

Warning: When self-examining the mammary gland, it is practically impossible to detect salt deposition in them. Meanwhile, the accumulation of small calcifications often indicates the development of a malignant tumor. Preventive mammography will allow early detection of breast cancer.

Types of calcinates

Classification of calcifications in the mammary gland is carried out according to several criteria: at the site of localization, the nature of distribution, shape and size.

In place of localization

Protokovye - are formed due to lactostasis (milk stagnation in the milk ducts during lactation), ectasia (damage to the epithelium in the ducts). They can also occur with intracapsular breast cancer .

Dolkovye - are formed in milky lobules. They are signs of such diseases as adenosis of the breast ( malignant development of the glandular tissue) and other varieties of fibrocystic mastopathy. In this case, calcareous deposits on the x-ray in different angles have the form of a crescent or a bowl. Often, the formation of lobular calcicates in the mammary glands is associated with age-related involution .

Stromal - are found in connective tissue. These deposits are usually the largest, are signs of benign neoplasms (adenomas or cysts). Such calcitans can be found in the walls of blood vessels, in the sebaceous glands (have the shape of an oval or rectangle), in fat cysts. Usually these are large individual formations, most often formless.

Breast tissues in which seals are formed

By the nature of the distribution

Diffuse - randomly scattered throughout the gland.

Grouped - a group of calcinates is located in a certain place. The diameter of the cluster is not more than 1 cm.

Regional - located within the same milky lobe.

Segmental - within one lobule, which is part of the share.

Linear - located on the same line.

In shape and size

According to these criteria, calcinates are:

having a clear shape and dimensions up to 1 cm and more;
in the form of popcorn (or a patch of cotton), occur with necrosis of adipose tissue or in fibroadenomas;
point, usually scattered by the volume of the glands, which is a symptom of breast cancer;
wormlike formations occur in the ducts of the gland with mastitis or ectasia of the milk ducts.

In contrast to these diseases with intracapsular cancer, calcification is dense, intermittent, does not have a definite shape. And with papillomas in the ducts, they are smooth, similar to a lump.

Calcinates in the mammary gland may resemble croups, fragments of stones, needles. Lime deposits on the surface of the cysts in adipose tissue are similar to the egg shell. In benign tumors calcifications are usually large, have a diffuse arrangement, uniform in shape and size.

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Diagnosis of calcifications and associated breast diseases

The risk of breast cancer increases in women after 40 years. This is due to hormonal processes in the body, aging of breast tissue, weakening of immune defense. At least once in 2 years every young woman should do mammography. On the eve of menopause and after its beginning, a breast examination should be done at least once a year. If a calcification is found in the picture, the doctor will be able to determine the cause of their formation, to assess whether the condition associated with their appearance represents a serious danger and whether treatment is required.

In some cases, it is the nature of calcium deposits in the breast tissue that helps to clarify the diagnosis when a woman contacts a mammologist about the detection of seals, swelling of the glands and other symptoms inherent in inflammatory and tumor diseases of the breast.

The smaller calcinates (especially diffuse, heterogeneous, formless), the more they cause suspicion of a malignant tumor. After finding them on a mammogram, a breast tissue biopsy is administered to determine the presence of cancer. In addition, a biochemical blood test for oncomarkers, as well as hormones, is done. To clarify the diagnosis of breast disease, ultrasound, CT, and MRI are used.

Biopsy under the supervision of ultrasound

Treatment for the detection of calcifications

In some cases, when large stromal calcifications are found in the mammary glands, treatment is not required. They stay in their chests for life, without causing a woman inconvenience. Every year it is necessary to repeat the examination in order to prevent complications.

If calcifications are associated with benign breast diseases, hormonal drugs regulating the ratio of sex hormones in the blood can be prescribed. Also used are plant and homeopathic remedies, which help cure such diseases, normalize metabolism. If necessary, an anti-inflammatory treatment is prescribed to eliminate the possibility of depositing salts in the affected area.

Surgical removal of calcifications is not carried out, as the probability of growth of surrounding tissues in the liberated area is great.

When multiple small calcifications are detected and the presence of breast cancer is confirmed, the oncologist prescribes treatment. Depending on the stage of the process, hormonal therapy, chemotherapeutic treatment, directed radiation exposure or surgical removal of the tumor is carried out.

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Prevention of calcification

To reduce the possibility of calcification in the mammary glands, it is necessary to accurately observe the dosage of preparations with vitamin D and calcium, used to treat, for example, fractures of bones. They should be taken no longer than 1 month, after which they should take a long break.

Increased vitamin D in the body contributes to exposure to the sun, so the measure to prevent the deposition of calcium salts is to protect from solar radiation, as well as refusal to visit the solarium. It is necessary to maintain a normal metabolism through diet, control of the liver. To regulate the hormonal background in the body (for example, with climax) help special synthetic or herbal preparations.