The significance of morphological verification of calcifications in differential diagnsis of the mammary gland pathology
Authors: Adamovych O.O. , Chelpanova I.V. , Paltov E.V. , Vasyliv M.A.L. , Voitsenko K.I. , Poliiants A.V. 
Published: October 2023

Relevance of the research. An important advantage of radiological imaging methods is their ability to detect areas of calcification in tissues, even in the form of microcalcifications, measuring up to 1 mm. These microcalcifications are formed under the influence of various factors and serve as important diagnostic criteria for a number of pathologies. Microcalcifications, detected during mammographic examination, are considered reliable markers of breast cancer. The classification of breast microcalcifications is based on their radiological and histological characteristics, which are evaluated during the diagnostic process to identify breast pathology. The aim of the study is to determine the frequency of detecting calcifications in the breast through mammographic examination and verify their significance as diagnostic criteria for breast cancer.Materials and methods. The study utilized a processed randomized sample of anonymized archival mammograms from 100 women of mature and elderly age who underwent screening or preventive examinations at the mammography room of the CNE "6th city polyclinic of Lviv". The examinations were conducted using the Fujifilm Amulet Innоvality machine (Japan) in the craniocaudal (CC) and mediolateral oblique (MLO) projections. Histological slides from the archives of the Histology, Cytology, and Embryology Department of Danylo Halytsky Lviv National Medical University and anonymized archival preparations of DOBRA DIAGNOSTYKA LLC were used for the study.The slides were examined under a UlabXSP-137TLED microscope at various magnifications and photographed using an XCAM 1080P camera.Results. It has been established that the frequency of detecting calcifications during screening/preventive examinations of mature and elderly women was 69% of the total number of subjects examined, more than half of them bilaterally. The detected calcifications had different localization, shape, size, and quantity. The analysis of scientific literature sources indicates the existence of different views on the presence of calcifications in breast tissue - some authors consider them to be a characteristic radiological sign of the breast, while others assert that the frequency of malignant neoplasms increases, including in cases of calcification of the glandular tissue. The results of mammary glands histological studying in mature and elderly women indicate that calcifications can be visualized in the context of age-related changes in the stroma or parenchyma of the organ, which don`t exhibit morphological signs of neoplastic development. These calcifications can be manifestations of age-related involution and are possibly formed as a result of calcification of blocked secretions. Conclusion. The presence of calcifications can`t be considered a definitive diagnostic criterion for breast cancer. The final verification of the diagnosis can only be made after conducting a histological examination.