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Soft-tissue calcifications lend themselves to a systematic approach that connects a diverse group of diseases. Although this chapter focuses primarily on abdominal calcifications, the same principles and approach apply to dystrophic calcification found anywhere in the body.
Most soft-tissue calcification occurs in tissue that is already abnormal. Such calcification is called dystrophic calcification.
The nature of most calcifications can be determined by examining two of their characteristics:
Their pattern of calcification
Their anatomic location
CT can easily identify the location of such calcifications.
Calcifications tend to occur in one of four distinct patterns, depending on the type of structure that has calcified.
The patterns are:
Rim-like
Linear or track-like
Lamellar (or laminar)
Cloudlike, amorphous, or popcorn
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