STABILITY OF MALIGNANT BREAST MICROCALCIFICATIONS

PURPOSE: To determine the frequency of stability in malignant microcal cifications and its relationship to specific histologic diagnoses. MAT ERIALS AND METHODS: During a 34-month period, microcalcifications were proved malignant in 182 patients referred for needle-guided biopsy. I n 105 patients, the mammograms were compared with one or more than one previous mammogram. These patients were classified on the basis of in terval change in two groups: those with stable and those with increasi ng or new microcalcifications. The histologic diagnoses were reviewed. RESULTS: Microcalcifications were stable for 8-63 months (mean, 25.4 months) in 26 patients (24.8%), only three (12%) of whom had invasive ductal carcinoma, Which was found in 29 (37%) of the 79 patients with increasing or new microcalcifications. CONCLUSION: The odds for presen ce of invasive ductal carcinoma are statistically significantly lower (P < .025) among patients with stable microcalcifications than among t hose with increasing or new microcalcifications. Stability of indeterm inate or suspicious microcalcifications is unreliable for exclusion of a diagnosis of malignancy.