Microcalcifications in breast imaging are tiny white specks of calcium salts. Microcalcifications in clusters, seen on a mammogram, can be the only sign of ductal carcinoma in situ or early invasive cancer, or they can be associated with benign breast changes.

Cancer is a general term related to the abnormal (malignant) growth of cells (tumor) which tend to proliferate uncontrolled and destroy healthy tissues. If not controlled by effective treatment, cancer can spread out into other regions of the body (metastasize).
Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS): A form of breast carcinoma in situ confined to the breast ducts. DCIS (also called noninvasive breast cancer or intraductal breast carcinoma) is often associated with microcalcification on mammography.

A lateral view is a 90° degree view performed medial to lateral or lateral to medial. In mammography, lateral views are used for triangulation with the craniocaudal view of the breast and to demonstrate microcalcifications dependent on gravity.

Mammography is a diagnostic imaging procedure of the breast to detect and evaluate breast disease. Mammography is widely used as a screening method and plays a key role in early breast cancer detection.
The screening mammography is used to detect breast changes in women who have no signs or symptoms or noticed breast abnormalities. The goal is to detect a breast tumor before any clinical signs are observable.
A diagnostic mammography is used to investigate suspicious breast changes, such as a breast lump, an unusual skin appearance, breast pain, nipple thickening or nipple discharge.
A breast screening or standard mammography requires two mammograms from different angles of each breast including craniocaudal view and mediolateral view. Additional images can be made from other angles or focus on microcalcifications or other suspicious areas.
A mammogram is created by special mammography equipment with long wavelength of the used x-rays. Film-screen mammography is still the most widely used technology, but the state of the art technique is digital mammography. Conventional x-ray equipment was used to produce mammograms until dedicated mammography equipment became available in the late 1960s. Film-screen mammography and xeromammography, introduced in the early 1970s, used lower radiation doses and produced sharper mammograms. The second generation of mammography systems has been introduced in the early 1980s. Chief disadvantages of analog mammography include the labor-intensive handling of the cassettes, relatively slow processing time, the lack of a direct interface to the x-ray system, and no post processing possibilities.
Mammograms of high quality should be done with the lowest radiation dose as possible. Adequate breast compression is important due to shortening of the exposure times, immobilization of the breast, reduction of motion and blurring and prevention of overpenetration by means of equalizing breast thickness.
Further breast imaging procedures include breast ultrasound and breast MRI.