Cutaneous ectopic breast calcification in a haemodialysis patient

Animal models of tendon calcification: Past, present, and future

Tendon calcification is a common clinical condition that frequently occurs as a complication after tendon injury and surgery, or as an expression of fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva. This condition can be referred to by various names in clinical practice and literature, including tendon ossification, tendon mineralization, heterotopic ossification, and calcific tendonitis. The exact pathogenesis of tendon calcification remains uncertain, but current mainstream research suggests that calcification is mostly cell mediated. To further elucidate the pathogenesis of tendon calcification and to better simulate the overall process, selecting appropriate experimental animal models is important. Numerous animal models have been utilized in various clinical studies, each with its own set of advantages and limitations. In this review, we have discussed the advancements made in research on animal models of tendon calcification, with a focus on the selection of experimental animals, the sites of injury in these models, and the methods employed for modeling.

Dystrophic Calcifications in the Breast from Secondary Hyperparathyroidism

Background

Soft tissue calcification is common in patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism who have received long-term treatment with hemodialysis. However, calcifications in the breast parenchyma are not common. We report a case of a woman with dystrophic breast calcifications from secondary hyperparathyroidism.

Case Report

A 65-year-old woman presented with a palpable mass in her right breast which she had discovered 1 month ago. She had a medical history of end-stage renal disease. Mammography and ultrasound revealed large dystrophic calcifications in both breasts. Core needle biopsy was performed for calcifications in the right breast, and the pathologic diagnosis was dystrophic calcification in the stroma from secondary hyperparathyroidism.

Conclusion

Reviewing our case will contribute to a fast and correct diagnosis in patients with dystrophic breast calcifications and lab results indicating secondary hyperparathyroidism, and will help discriminate these benign lesions from malignancies.