| Mammography |
| The important characteristics of a lesion on mammography that help distinguish a benign lesion from a malignant lesion are its margins, its shape and the pattern of any calcifications. |
| |
More Likely Benign |
More Likely Malignant |
| Margin |
Sharp, clear (marble-like) |
Ill-defined, irregular |
| Shape |
Round, smooth |
Strands, spicules |
| |
|
"Starburst" pattern |
| |
|
Multilobulated |
| Calcifications |
On the skin surface, |
Small (< 0.5 cm) |
| |
Round, large, and dense |
Clustered |
| |
"Popcorn" pattern (fibroadenoma) |
Irregular shaped |
| |
Cyst wall calcifications, |
Rod shaped |
| |
Multiple and scattered (ductal) |
Angular or branching |
