calcific

Calcific is an adjective referring to calcification, the deposition or presence of calcium salts in body tissues. In medical contexts, calcific describes tissues or lesions that contain calcium, often as calcium phosphate crystals such as hydroxyapatite. The term is used to characterize processes that lead to hardening or mineral deposits within soft tissues or within the vasculature.

Calcification can arise from different mechanisms. Dystrophic calcification occurs in damaged or necrotic tissues despite normal blood calcium and phosphate levels and is commonly linked to injury, inflammation, or chronic degeneration. Metastatic calcification results from elevated calcium or phosphate levels in the blood, leading to deposits in otherwise normal tissues; this can occur with hyperparathyroidism, chronic kidney disease, certain malignancies, or prolonged disorders of mineral metabolism.

Common clinical contexts include calcific tendinopathy, where calcium deposits form within the rotator cuff tendons of the shoulder and cause pain; calcification of the aortic or other cardiac valves, contributing to valvular disease; breast calcifications detected on mammography, which may be benign or, less commonly, associated with malignancy; and vascular calcifications in arteries, which can accompany atherosclerosis. Calcifications can also occur in the kidney or urinary tract, forming stones.

Diagnosis typically relies on imaging. Plain radiographs reveal radiopaque deposits; ultrasound can show echogenic foci with shadowing; computed tomography or MRI may be employed for detailed assessment.

Management is site-specific. Asymptomatic calcifications may require no treatment, while symptomatic conditions such as calcific tendinopathy may respond to physical therapy, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, ultrasound-guided procedures to disrupt deposits, or shock wave therapy. In some cases, surgical removal or valve intervention is considered. Prognosis varies with location and underlying etiology.