Microcalcifications Detected as an Abnormality on Screening Mammography: Outcomes and Followup over a Five-Year Period

Table 1

Age distribution and final diagnostic outcome* of clients with calcifications assigned a breast imaging classification 3, 4, or 5 on screening mammogram.

	𝑛 (%)	Total 𝑛 (%)
Age (years)
<50	18 (7.7)	235 (100.0)
50–59	123 (52.3)
60–69	85 (36.2)
≥70	9 (3.8)
Final outcome
Benign
Benign	191 (81.3)^†	191 (81.3)
Atypical
ADH	3 (1.3)	6 (2.6)
ALH	3 (1.3)
DCIS
Low nuclear grade	4 (1.7)	20 (8.5)
Intermediate nuclear grade	6 (2.6)
High nuclear grade	10 (4.3)
Invasive carcinoma^‡
Grade 1§	7 (3.0)	18 (7.7)
Grade 2	5 (2.1)
Grade 3§	6 (2.6)

∗Outcome determined at assessment which may include results of FNA, UCNB, VALCS, or open surgical biopsy or surgical treatment pathology whichever is the latter.
^†89 cases (46.6% of the benign outcomes) did not undergo FNA, UCNB, VALCS, or open surgical biopsy.
^‡Five of the 18 women with invasive carcinoma had nodal metastases (three with invasive carcinoma grade 3 had one metastatic node; one with invasive carcinoma grade 3 had 12 metastatic nodes; one with invasive carcinoma grade 1 had one metastatic node).
§includes one case upgraded from DCIS to invasive carcinoma as a result of surgery.