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Identifying Coronary Artery Calcification on Non-gated Computed Tomography Scans
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Published on: August 28, 2018

Diffuse left ventricular myocardial calcification in the setting of sepsis on CT imaging

Stephanie Simonson1, Wallace T Miller, Alexander Perl

  • 1Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.

Journal of Thoracic Imaging
|November 29, 2007
PubMed

Insights

A 58-year-old man with acute lymphoblastic leukemia experienced diffuse left ventricular myocardial calcification during sepsis. Computed tomography revealed this rare cardiac complication during the infection.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Oncology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a hematologic malignancy.
  • Sepsis is a life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection.
  • Myocardial calcification is an uncommon finding, particularly in the context of infection.

Observation:

  • A 58-year-old male patient with a history of ALL presented with sepsis.
  • Computed tomographic (CT) imaging demonstrated diffuse left ventricular myocardial calcification.
  • The calcification was noted during the acute episode of sepsis.

Findings:

  • Diffuse left ventricular myocardial calcification can occur in patients with ALL during sepsis.
  • This case highlights a potential, albeit rare, cardiac manifestation of severe infection in immunocompromised individuals.
  • CT imaging is valuable in identifying myocardial calcification.

Implications:

  • This case expands the understanding of potential cardiac complications associated with sepsis in leukemia patients.
  • Further research may explore the mechanisms linking sepsis, ALL, and myocardial calcification.
  • Clinicians should consider cardiac evaluation in patients with ALL and sepsis exhibiting concerning symptoms or imaging findings.

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