Porcelain heart: a case of massive myocardial calcification

Int J Cardiovasc Imaging. 2006 Feb;22(1):123-6. doi: 10.1007/s10554-005-9006-2. Epub 2005 Jul 23.

Abstract

Reports of massive myocardial calcification are limited mainly to case reports and this type intracardiac calcifications have been usually identified postmortem. We present a very interesting case of massive calcification of the left ventricular myocardium, interventricular and interatrial septae causing restrictive physiology and coronary artery obstruction in a 46-year-old Turkish woman. The diagnosis of myocardial calcification was suspected from chest X-ray and confirmed with computerized tomography and cardiac catheterization. The findings of the chest computed tomography were very similar to those previously reported cases of endomyocardial fibrosis (EMF) with massive calcification of the left ventricle.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Calcinosis / complications
  • Calcinosis / diagnostic imaging*
  • Endomyocardial Fibrosis / complications
  • Endomyocardial Fibrosis / diagnostic imaging*
  • Female
  • Heart Ventricles
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed