Pathologic calcification is the abnormal tissue deposition of calcium salts, together with smaller amounts of iron, magnesium, and other mineral salts.

Types

 post-necrotic calcifications
 metastatic calcifications
 tumoral calcifications

• psammoma bodies

There are two forms of pathologic calcification. When the calcium deposition occurs locally in dying tissues, the phenomenon is known as post-necrotic calcifications (dystrophic calcification); it occurs despite normal serum levels of calcium and in the absence of derangements in calcium metabolism.

In contrast, the deposition of calcium salts in otherwise normal tissues is known as metastatic calcification, and it almost always results from hypercalcemia secondary to some disturbance in calcium metabolism.

Localizations

 cerebral calcifications
 subserosal calcifications (peritoneal calcifications)
 renal calcifications

• renal tubular calcifications

 adrenal calcifications

• Wolman disease
• adrenal necrosis
  • adrenal ischemia)
  • adrneal neuroblastoma