Ectopic ossification of the heart valves is an indicator of future heart problems, hyperparathyroidism, and necrosis of tissues.

Absorption of calcium salts normally occurs in bony tissues and is facilitated by parathyroid hormone and vitamin D. However, increased amounts of parathyroid hormone in the blood result in the deposit of calcium in soft tissues. This can be an indication of hyperparathyroidism, arteriosclerosis, or trauma to tissues.

Calcification of muscle can occur after traumatic injury and is known as myositis ossificans. It can be recognized by muscle tenderness and loss of stretch in the affected area. To reduce the risk of calcification after an injury, initiate what is commonly known as "RICE" (rest, ice, compression, and elevation).

The cause of the rare condition of tumoral calcinosis is not entirely understood. It is generally characterized by large, globular calcifications near joints.

The most common type of calcinosis is dystrophic calcification. This type of calcification can occur as a response to any soft tissue damage, including that involved in implantation of medical devices.

Dystrophic calcification (DC) is the calcification occurring in degenerated or necrotic tissue, as in hyalinized scars, degenerated foci in leiomyomas, and caseous nodules. This occurs as a reaction to tissue damage, including as a consequence of medical device implantation. Dystrophic calcification can occur even if the amount of calcium in the blood is not elevated. (A systemic mineral imbalance would elevate calcium levels in the blood and all tissues and cause metastatic calcification.) Basophilic calcium salt deposits aggregate, first in the mitochondria, and progressively throughout the cell. These calcifications are an indication of previous microscopic cell injury. It occurs in areas of cell necrosis in which activated phosphatases bind calcium ions to phospholipids in the membrane.

Calcification can occur in dead or degenerated tissue.

The prevalence of Mönckeberg's arteriosclerosis increases with age and is more frequent in diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, systemic lupus erythematosus, chronic inflammatory conditions, hypervitaminosis D and rare genetic disorders, such as Keutel syndrome. The prevalence of Monckeberg's arteriosclerosis in the general population has been estimated as 1.5; however the validity of this criterion is questionable.

Treatment usually involves surgical removal of the lesion down to the bone. If there are any adjacent teeth, they are cleaned thoroughly to remove any possible source of irritation. Recurrence is around 16%.

The cause is not well defined. Originally considered idiopathic condition. Now accepted that majority of cases develop from dystrophic calcification of cyst contents.

Metastatic calcification is deposition of calcium salts in otherwise normal tissue, because of elevated serum levels of calcium, which can occur because of deranged metabolism as well as increased absorption or decreased excretion of calcium and related minerals, as seen in hyperparathyroidism.

In contrast, dystrophic calcification is caused by abnormalities or degeneration of tissues resulting in mineral deposition, though blood levels of calcium remain normal. These differences in pathology also mean that metastatic calcification is often found in many tissues throughout a person or animal, whereas dystrophic calcification is localized.

Metastatic calcification can occur widely throughout the body but principally affects the interstitial tissues of the vasculature, kidneys, lungs, and gastric mucosa. For the latter three, acid secretions or rapid changes in pH levels contribute to the formation of salts.

Calcinosis may result from a variety of causes such as:

- Trauma to the region

- Inflammation (bug bites, acne)

- Varicose veins

- Infections

- Tumors (malignant or benign)

- Diseases of connective tissue

- Hypercalcemia

- Hyperphosphatemia

Calicinosis cutis is associated with systemic sclerosis.

Epidemiology

- Incidence: uncommon

- Age: children and young adults

Site

- Scrotal skin

Presentation

- Single or multiple hard, marble-like nodules of varying size affecting scrotal skin.

- Nodules vary in size from a few millimeters to a few centimeters.

- Usually start to appear in childhood or early adult life

- Over time, nodules increase in number and size

- Nodules may break down and discharge chalky material

- Rarely, lesions may be polypoid

- Usually asymptomatic

Treatment

- Symptomatic single or grouped nodules can be excised surgically

Prognosis

- Benign condition

- Slow progression throughout life

- Lesions remain discrete and do not become confluent

Most (i.e. 80%) ossifications arise in the thigh or arm, and are caused by a premature return to activity after an injury. Other sites include intercostal spaces, erector spinae, pectoralis muscles, glutei, and the chest. On planar x-ray, hazy densities are sometimes noted approximately one month after injury, while the denser opacities eventually seen may not be apparent until two months have passed.

Hydrops-ectopic calcification-moth-eaten skeletal dysplasia is a defect in cholesterol biosynthesis. It is also known as Greenberg dysplasia. Greenberg characterized the condition in 1988.

It has been associated with the lamin B receptor.

Recovery from renal osteodystrophy has been observed following kidney transplantation. Renal osteodystrophy is a chronic condition with a conventional hemodialysis schedule. Nevertheless, it is important to consider that the broader concept of CKD-MBD, which includes renal osteodystrophy, is not only associated with bone disease and increased risk of fractures but also with cardiovascular calcification, poor quality of life and increased morbidity and mortality in CKD patients (the so-called bone-vascular axis). Actually, bone may now be considered a new endocrine organ at the heart of CKD-MBD.

Radiation therapy subsequent to the injury or as a preventive measure of recurrence may be applied but its usefulness is inconclusive. If the surgery performed next step in accordance with literature postoperative single low-dose radiation with 3 weeks of oral indomethacin regimen will be preventive for recurrence.

Surgery is curative despite possible local relapses. Wide resection of the tumor and resection arthrodesis with an intramedullary nail, vertebrectomy and femoral head allograft replacement of the vertebral body, resection of the iliac wing and hip joint disarticulation have been among the performed procedures.

The close resemblance of FCMB to fibrocartilaginous dysplasia has suggested to some scholars that they might be closely related entities, although the latter features woven bone trabeculae without osteoblastic rimming, which is a quite distinctive aspect. Instead the occurrence of epiphyseal plate-like cartilage is peculiar of the former.

Often Mönckeberg's arteriosclerosis is discovered as an incidental finding in an X-ray radiograph, on mammograms, in autopsy, or in association with investigation of some other disease, such as diabetes mellitus or chronic kidney disease. Typically calcification is observed in the arteries of the upper and lower limb although it has been seen in numerous other medium size arteries. In the radial or ulnar arteries it can cause "pipestem" arteries, which present as a bounding pulse at the end of the calcific zone. It may also result in "pulselessness." Epidemiological studies have used the ratio of ankle to brachial blood pressure (ankle brachial pressure index, ABPI or ABI) as an indicator of arterial calcification with ABPI >1.3 to >1.5 being used as a diagnostic criterion depending on the study.

The color of peripheral ossifying fibromas ranges from red to pink, and is frequently ulcerated. It can be sessile or pedunculated with the size usually being less than 2 cm. Weeks or months may pass by before it is seen and diagnosed.

There is a gender difference with 66% of the disease occurring in females. The prevalence of peripheral ossifying fibromas is highest around 10 – 19 years of age. It appears only on the gingiva, more often on the maxilla rather than the mandible, and is frequently found in the area around incisors and canines. The adjacent teeth are usually not affected.

Peripheral ossifying fibromas appear microscopically as a combination of a mineralized product and fibrous proliferation. The mineralized portion may be bone, cementum-like, or dystrophic calcifications. Additionally, highly developed bone or cementum is more likely to be present when the peripheral ossifying fibroma has existed for a longer period of time.

Calcinosis cutis (or cutaneous calcification) is a type of calcinosis wherein calcium deposits form in the skin. A variety of factors can result in this condition. The most common source is dystrophic calcification, which occurs in soft tissue as a response to injury. In addition, calcinosis is seen in Limited Cutaneous Systemic Sclerosis, also known as CREST syndrome (the "C" in CREST). In dogs, calcinosis cutis is found in young, large breed dogs and is thought to occur after a traumatic injury.

Ectopic thymus is a condition where thymus tissue is found in an abnormal location.

It can be associated with failure of descent.

It can also be associated with failure of involution.

Fibrocartilaginous mesenchymoma of bone is (FCMB) is an extremely rare tumor first described in 1984. Fewer than 20 cases have been reported, with patient ages spanning from 9 to 25 years, though a case in a male infant aged 1 year and 7 months has been reported. Quick growth and bulky size are remarkable features of this tumor.

Ectopic salivary gland tissue which is located in sites other than the normal location is variously described as aberrant, accessory, ectopic, heterotopic or salivary gland choristoma.

Normophosphatemic familial tumoral calcinosis is a cutaneous disorder characterized by cutaneous calcification or ossification.

Treatment is symptomatic, often addressing indicators associated with peripheral pulmonary artery stenosis. Laryngotracheal calcification resulting in dyspnea and forceful breathing can be treated with bronchodilators including the short and long-acting β2-agonists, and various anticholinergics. Prognosis is good, yet life expectancy depends on the severity and extent of diffuse pulmonary and arterial calcification.

Treatment for renal osteodystrophy includes the following:

- calcium and/or native vitamin D supplementation

- restriction of dietary phosphate (especially inorganic phosphate contained in additives)

- phosphate binders such as calcium carbonate, calcium acetate, sevelamer hydrochloride or carbonate, lanthanum carbonate, sucroferric oxyhydroxide, ferric citrate among others

- active forms of vitamin D (calcitriol, alfacalcidol, paricalcitol, maxacalcitol, doxercalciferol, among others)

- cinacalcet

- renal transplantation

- haemodialysis five times a week is thought to be of benefit

- parathyroidectomy for symptomatic medication refractive end stage disease