Prevalence and Degree of Breast Arterial Calcifications on Mammography: A Cross-sectional Analysis.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study is to establish a database including prevalence and degree of breast arterial calcifications (BAC) in our population of women presenting for mammography.


METHODS
The mammograms of 1786 women over the age of 40 years were examined for the presence and degree of BAC. Statistical analysis was performed to correlate patient's age and ethnic origin with the presence and degree of BAC.


RESULTS
There was statistically significant and strong correlation between the patient's age and presence of BAC. There was also a less strong yet statistically significant correlation between patient age and degree of BAC. Regression analysis showed the likelihood of BAC at various ages. The prevalence of BAC is only 2% of women under 50 years of age; the prevalence of Grade 2-3 BAC is only 1% in women under 60 years of age.


CONCLUSIONS
There is a predictable increase with age in both prevalence and degree of BAC in women. The presence of high degree BAC in women under 60 years of age or any BAC in women under 50 years of age is unusual.
Department of Radiology, Western Galilee Hospital, Nahariya, Israel ; Bar Ilan Faculty of Medicine in the Galilee, Safed, Israel.
Norman
N
Loberant
Vera
V
Salamon
Nurit
N
Carmi
Anna
A
Chernihovsky
Arterial calcifications; cardiovascular disease; mammography; risk factors