Extremely dense breast & grouped calcification in right breast

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amymariemom23
amymariemom23 Member Posts: 6
edited December 2018 in Not Diagnosed But Worried

I am 48 with not risk factors for breast cancer (and nothing abnormal has been found in the past). I just my report back from a mammogram (2D) done last Thursday. It stated that I have extremely dense breast tissue and also stated that I have grouped calcifications in the posterior upper breast on the MLO view. They may also correlate with calcifications in the outer breast on the CC view. I am being recommended for a 3D mammogram. While I am telling myself this is nothing, there is part of me that is worried. Is this something to be concerned about? I am a person who prefers to know the good and the bad so you can be honest if it isn't great news. Thanks.




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  • Megadoo
    Megadoo Member Posts: 61
    edited December 2018

    There is an article above the forum listing "Understanding Breast Calcifications" that may be able to answer some of your questions. Hopefully things turn out good from your 3D mammo. Hang in there!

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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited December 2018

    Dear amymariemom23,

    We are glad that you reached out to our members for some help. You might want to check out this link to a topic in the forum about common imaging questions. There are a number of resources there that may be of help. The Mods

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  • amymariemom23
    amymariemom23 Member Posts: 6
    edited December 2018

    Thank you - I have been reading the links. I am just going to assume the best at this point.

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  • Denise-G
    Denise-G Member Posts: 1,777
    edited December 2018

    It is good they are doing 3 D Mammography on you, but even with 3 D Mammography, often times women with dense breast tissue have issues and even breast cancer that are not seen. I say that not to terrify you, but to tell you about many women I know personally - especially my sister. My sister had a 3D mammogram that was the best our city has to offer. All that was seen were some calcifications and a small shadow. Because I had been diagnosed and our mom had been diagnosed, the radiologist did a biopsy to be ultra safe. Thank goodness he did. My sister was already Stage 3C at diagnosis. I have had many other women write to me who had dense breast tissue and were diagnosed very late even though they had had regular screenings.

    A breast MRI definitely shows more clearly. Keep fighting for your rights!

    There is a great website for women with dense breast tissue - www.areyoudense.org

    All my best!

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  • amymariemom23
    amymariemom23 Member Posts: 6
    edited December 2018

    So a follow up. I had the 3D mammogram and it confirmed the grouped microcalcifications. I will be having a biopsy on Monday. The hard part will just be the wait. I know that if it is something, which odds are low, it should be highly treatable. My husband doesn't handle this stuff well so I have to act like I am not concerned at all (and in some ways I am not, I just can't let myself go "there"). I have three teenagers and two of them have serious medical issues themselves.

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  • Tchuts
    Tchuts Member Posts: 17
    edited December 2018

    Amymarie,

    Thereare a few of us with group calcifications waiting for biopsy and results right now. I had my first mammogram a month prior to my 40th birthday. Was given a Birad 3 and told to come back in 6 months. I’m now a Birad 4 and waiting for a stereotactic biopsy. ( mine is dec 20th) it sucks that it will fall over Christmas so the wait will be longer but I’m not sure if I would want to know before Christmas anyway. My report stated I have a group of 6 calcifications in a tight cluster with a combined diameter of 2.5mm. Change since last report and slightly pleomorphic. It states low grade DCIS is not excluded. I think we can all agree this sucks to deal with but we are all strong women that will get though whatever comes our way.

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  • brooke17927
    brooke17927 Member Posts: 110
    edited December 2018

    Tchuts, apparently I can't send you anymore private messages. Amymarie, I'm in the same boat as you are too, how many groups do you have? Are you getting a biopsy?

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  • brooke17927
    brooke17927 Member Posts: 110
    edited December 2018

    I got my mammogram report, it's a Birad 4.

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  • amymariemom23
    amymariemom23 Member Posts: 6
    edited December 2018

    I had a biopsy this morning. I am a Birad 4. Not sure how many groups. The biopsy was harder than I expected as they had a hard time getting image due to the location. They needed to do two incisions rather than one.

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  • brooke17927
    brooke17927 Member Posts: 110
    edited December 2018

    when do you get results?

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  • brooke17927
    brooke17927 Member Posts: 110
    edited December 2018

    I'm worried about the biopsy too because of my implants. Mine are over the muscle.

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  • amymariemom23
    amymariemom23 Member Posts: 6
    edited December 2018

    She said 2-4 business days. It didn’t hurt but the positions I had to get in were uncomfortable. I am really prepared emotionally for any outcome. Just want to know either way

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  • djmammo
    djmammo Member Posts: 2,939
    edited December 2018

    Stereotactic breast biopsies with implants

    The device holding the breast in place during a stereo biopsy is the same as a mammogram machine. Just as "implant displacement views" are taken during a screening mammo, the implant is displaced and held out of the way when performing the stereo biopsy.

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  • brooke17927
    brooke17927 Member Posts: 110
    edited December 2018

    Thanks, djmammo, that helps


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