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Updated: May 28, 2026
06:29
Cardiac Magnetic Resonance for the Evaluation of Suspected Cardiac Thrombus: Conventional and Emerging Techniques
Published on: June 11, 2019
Giant left ventricular aneurysm mimicking myocardial bridge
Rodrigo Bagur1, Olivier F Bertrand, Juan María Manazzoni
1Department of Interventional Cardiology, Québec Heart and Lung Institute, Laval University, Québec City, Québec, Canada.
The Canadian Journal of Cardiology
|October 7, 2011
Summary
A giant aneurysm compressing the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) caused acute pulmonary edema and heart attack in an elderly woman. This rare case highlights aneurysmal compression as a cause of myocardial infarction.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Radiology
Background:
- Acute pulmonary edema can be a manifestation of acute myocardial infarction.
- Coronary artery compression is an uncommon cause of myocardial infarction.
Observation:
- An 81-year-old woman presented with acute pulmonary edema and ECG changes indicative of anterior myocardial infarction.
- Coronary angiography revealed a 100% occlusion of the second diagonal branch and extrinsic compression of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD).
- Ventriculography identified a giant anterolateral wall aneurysm.
Findings:
- 3D cardiac CT suggested the giant aneurysm caused extrinsic compression of the LAD, leading to the "bridgelike" effect and myocardial infarction.
- The aneurysm's systolic and diastolic compression of the LAD was the likely cause of the acute coronary syndrome.
Implications:
- Giant coronary artery aneurysms can cause significant extrinsic compression, mimicking other coronary pathologies.
- This case underscores the importance of considering aneurysmal compression in the differential diagnosis of myocardial infarction, especially in the presence of cardiac masses.
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