A review of soft tissue calcifications.

The deposition of calcium and phosphorous salts in the soft tissues can be classified into three categories: metastatic calcification, dystrophic calcification, and calcinosis. Metastatic calcification occurs when the calcium-phosphorous levels are elevated. The calcifications involve normal tissues. Associated disease include hyperparathyroidism, neoplasms, milk-alkali syndrome, hypervitaminosis D, and tumoral calcinosis. Dystrophic calcification occurs in the presence of normal metabolism in damaged or devitalized tissues. Disorders included in this classification are: Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, pseudoxanthoma elasticum, arteriosclerosis obliterans, venous calcifications, crystal deposition disorders, and calcification resulting from neurologic disorders. Calcinosis is also found in persons with normal metabolism. It occurs most often in subcutaneous tissues, skin, and related connective tissues. Associated disorders include: calcinosis universalis, calcinosis circumscripta, scleroderma, dermatomyositis, and systemic lupus erythematosus.