Calcification is the accumulation of calcium salts within body tissues, a process that can occur in virtually any organ or structure. On ultrasound, calcifications appear as strongly echogenic (bright white) foci that often produce posterior acoustic shadowing because the dense calcium blocks the ultrasound beam from penetrating further. Calcifications are found in many clinical contexts, including gallstones, kidney stones, calcified arterial plaques, thyroid nodules, and breast lesions. The pattern and location of calcification can provide important diagnostic clues, as certain diseases have characteristic calcification patterns that help sonographers and physicians narrow the differential diagnosis.
Sonography Term