Final answer:
The most common locations for dermal calcifications on mammography are within the breast soft tissues, which are more distinguishable in older women due to increased breast fat providing better contrast.
Step-by-step explanation:
The most common locations for dermal calcifications detected on mammography are within the soft tissues of the breast. Mammograms are crucial tools for the early detection of breast cancer and can identify lumps or regions of increased density.
Although a mammogram cannot diagnose a malignant tumor it provides evidence of possible abnormalities that may warrant further investigation such as biopsy or additional imaging techniques like MRI, to improve detection and reduce false positives. For older women who have a higher risk of breast cancer increased breast fat can actually help in providing contrast on mammograms making it easier to detect abnormalities compared to denser breasts of younger women.