I have 2 questions: (a) I have had a mastectomy (right breast in April 2011). A recent chest x-ray shows surgical clips under the right axilla . What are these? Should I be able to feel them? Will they cause any harm or become painful? (b) what does calcification density mean and why does it occur? Does it signify recurrence of cancer? Shyama Bijapurkar
Hi, total mastectomy does not require placement of clips. In case of breast conserving surgery clips are placed for post-operative radiotherapy. Anyway clips are not harmful they will cause no problem except MRI procedure. Microcalcification in a limited space of breast tissue signify malignant disease. BI-RADS scoring to be done then.