Maryland Requires Mammography Centers to Flag Heart-Risk Calcifications

Mammograms can reveal breast arterial calcification (BAC), calcium along breast artery walls that appears as parallel lines and may signal increased cardiovascular risk, even when no breast cancer is present. BAC is not a diagnosis of heart disease or blocked arteries, and its absence does not rule out risk; experts recommend interpreting it alongside established risk factors and discussing it with a clinician. A small study also linked BAC with earlier menopause, more pregnancies and breastfeeding, while greater calcification was associated with lower HDL cholesterol. Maryland has required written notification of BAC findings, and some medical organizations and health systems encourage reporting them, though practices and assessment methods are not yet standardized.