Mammographic intra-arterial calcifications.

There is controversy about the significance of intra-arterial mammographic calcification ( MIAC ). Radiographic MIAC was found in mammograms of 78 of a total of 914 patients. The patients were analyzed for risk factors associated with arteriosclerosis, i.e., hypertension, diabetes, and age. Of the patients with MIAC , 83% were 60 years or older; 21% had no clinical history of diabetes or hypertension; 37% had both diabetes and hypertension; and 23% had diabetes only. Of the patients with MIAC , 64.6% over 60 had diabetes. It appears that MIAC occurs infrequently but most often with advancing age, and that diabetes and hypertension act to further predispose to its occurrence.