Unusual Breast Calcifications: Complete Replacement of Fibroglandular Tissue with Dystrophic Calcifications in End-Stage Renal Disease.

Abstract

We present a rare case of breast calcifications in a patient with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) who was noncompliant with peritoneal dialysis. She presented with rapid onset of a palpable breast mass. Breast ultrasound (US) demonstrated ill-defined areas of dense tissue in the breasts bilaterally. Mammography demonstrated coarse, branching calcifications, completely replacing normal fibroglandular tissue. A review of the literature yields one similar case. The current hypothesis for patients with increased breast calcifications includes elevated serum calcium, phosphate, and parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels; calcium phosphate products may be critical to calcification in ESRD. However, our patient presented with low-normal serum calcium and phosphate, suggesting that this rare entity of breast calcifications is probably related to other unknown factors.