Disappearing grouped breast calcifications: An ominous sign

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Oncology
• Pathology

Background:

• Spontaneous resolution of breast calcifications is uncommon.
• Existing literature primarily links resolving calcifications to benign conditions.

Observation:

• A postmenopausal woman presented with spontaneously resolving grouped, coarse heterogeneous calcifications.
• These calcifications were associated with a new soft tissue mass.

Findings:

• The new soft tissue mass was pathologically confirmed as invasive ductal carcinoma.
• This case aligns with rare reports associating resolving indeterminate calcifications with malignancy, particularly when a new parenchymal abnormality is present.

Implications:

• Radiologists must consider malignancy in cases of disappearing grouped, indeterminate calcifications.
• The presence of a new soft tissue mass alongside resolving calcifications warrants heightened suspicion for underlying cancer.