With the popularity of mammograms, more and more calcified foci of breast cancer are being detected. What is breast cancer calcification and what does it look like? 1. What is breast calcification foci Breast calcification foci are calcium deposits in the breast detected by mammography. There are many reasons as to why calcified foci appear in breast cancer, one of the more recognized explanations is that there is abnormal calcium metabolism in breast cancer cells, which can cause excessive local calcium deposits, so calcium deposits can often be seen in breast cancer lesions. 2.Does breast calcification necessarily mean breast cancer? There are two types of calcification foci in the breast: large and small. Large calcification foci are often benign lesions in the breast, such as calcification of blood vessels in the breast, old injury, inflammation, lactation cysts, benign tumors, etc., while small calcification foci are usually located in areas where cells grow and divide faster, and breast cancer is more likely. 3.Does breast cancer always have calcification? There are many kinds of clinical manifestations of breast cancer, some of which are mainly manifested by masses and some by calcified foci, and some literature shows that more than 50% of breast cancers have calcification. 4.What does calcification of breast cancer look like? Most of the calcifications in breast cancer look like clusters or pinpoint calcifications. Especially, if the number of calcifications exceeds 15-20 within 1 cm, it is more valuable for the diagnosis of breast cancer. 5.Can ultrasound detect calcified foci? Ultrasound is limited to detect calcified foci in the breast, and MRI has no diagnostic value for breast calcification. At present, the most cost-effective test to detect calcified foci is mammography. This is one of the reasons why mammography is the main tool for breast screening abroad. 6.What is the advantage of mammography in detecting breast cancer? Mammography can improve the diagnosis rate of occult cancer, microscopic cancer and early cancer. Some breast cancers do not form obvious masses in the early stage, with calcified foci as the first imaging manifestation. Therefore, mammography is of great value in detecting calcified foci.