Calcification

Calcification
The process of building bone by suffusing tissues with calcium salts. Also called ossification.
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1. Deposition of lime or other insoluble calcium salts. 2. A process in which tissue or noncellular material in the body becomes hardened as the result of precipitates or larger deposits of insoluble salts of calcium (and also magnesium), especially calcium carbonate and phosphate (hydroxyapatite) normally occurring only in the formation of bone and teeth. SYN: calcareous infiltration. [L. calx, lime, + facio, to make]
- dystrophic c. c. occurring in degenerated or necrotic tissue, as in hyalinized scars, degenerated foci in leiomyomas, and caseous nodules.
- eggshell c. a thin layer of c. around an intrathoracic lymph node, usually in silicosis, seen on a chest radiograph.
- metastatic c. c. occurring in nonosseous, viable tissue ( i.e., tissue that is not degenerated or necrotic), as in the stomach, lungs, and kidneys (and rarely in other sites); the cells of these organs secrete acid materials, and, under certain conditions in instances of hypercalcemia, the alteration in pH causes precipitation of calcium salts in these sites.
- Mönckeberg c. SYN: Mönckeberg arteriosclerosis.
- Mönckeberg medial c. SYN: Mönckeberg arteriosclerosis.
- pathologic c. c. occurring in excretory or secretory passages as calculi, and in tissues other than bone and teeth.
- pulp c. SYN: endolith.

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cal·ci·fi·ca·tion .kal-sə-fə-'kā-shən n
1) impregnation with calcareous matter: as
a) deposition of calcium salts within the matrix of cartilage often as the preliminary step in the formation of bone compare OSSIFICATION (1a)
b) abnormal deposition of calcium salts within tissue
2) a calcified structure or part

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n.
the deposition of calcium salts in tissue. This occurs as part of the normal process of bone formation (see ossification).

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cal·ci·fi·ca·tion (kal″sĭ-fĭ-kaґshən) [calci- + L. facere to make] the process by which organic tissue becomes hardened by a deposit of calcium salts within its substance. See also calcinosis.

Medical dictionary. 2011.

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  • calcification — [ kalsifikasjɔ̃ ] n. f. • 1848; de calc(aire), d apr. calcifié 1 ♦ Dépôt de sels calcaires au cours du processus normal de formation des os. ⇒ ossification. 2 ♦ Infiltration par des sels de calcium de tissus ou organes qui n en contiennent pas… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Calcification — Cal ci*fi*ca tion (k[a^]l s[i^]*f[i^]*k[=a] sh[u^]n), n. (Physiol.) The process of change into a stony or calcareous substance by the deposition of lime salt; normally, as in the formation of bone and of teeth; abnormally, as in calcareous… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • calcification — [kal΄sə fi kā′shən] n. 1. a calcifying; specif., the deposition of calcium salts in body tissues 2. a calcified substance or structure …   English World dictionary

  • Calcification — This article is about calcification of body tissue. For calcification of water pipes, see Hard water Calcification is the process in which calcium salts build up in soft tissue, causing it to harden. Calcifications may be classified on whether… …   Wikipedia

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  • calcification — n. the deposition of calcium salts in tissue. This occurs as part of the normal process of bone formation (see ossification). Compare: dystrophic calcification, metastatic calcification …   The new mediacal dictionary

  • calcification — Deposits of calcium in the tissues. Calcification in the breast can be seen on a mammogram, but cannot be detected by touch. There are two types of breast calcification, macrocalcification and microcalcification. Macrocalcifications are large… …   English dictionary of cancer terms

  • calcification — /kal seuh fi kay sheuhn/, n. 1. a changing into lime. 2. Physiol. the deposition of lime or insoluble salts of calcium and magnesium, as in a tissue. 3. Anat., Geol. a calcified formation. 4. a soil process in which the surface soil is supplied… …   Universalium

  • calcification — calcify ► VERB (calcifies, calcified) ▪ harden by deposition of or conversion into calcium carbonate or other calcium salts. DERIVATIVES calcification noun …   English terms dictionary

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