Massive Myocardial Calcium Deposition: Hardened Heart

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Updated: Oct 26, 2025

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Mark N Belkin1, Mark Dela Cruz1, Urooba Nadeem2

  • 1Section of Cardiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois.

JACC. Case Reports
|July 28, 2021
PubMed

Insights

A rare case of massive myocardial calcium deposition was diagnosed in a young woman with end-stage renal disease presenting with heart failure. Imaging and biopsy confirmed calcium buildup in the heart muscle.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Nephrology
  • Medical Imaging

Background:

  • End-stage renal disease (ESRD) can lead to complex cardiovascular complications.
  • Heart failure is a serious condition requiring thorough investigation of underlying causes.

Observation:

  • A 25-year-old African-American woman with ESRD developed new-onset heart failure.
  • Echocardiography showed a hyperechoic myocardium; CT revealed a circumferential hyperattenuated myocardium.

Findings:

  • Endomyocardial biopsy confirmed focal interstitial and intramyocyte calcium deposition.
  • The diagnosis was massive myocardial calcium deposition, a rare condition.

Implications:

  • This case highlights the importance of considering rare etiologies of heart failure in ESRD patients.
  • Advanced imaging and biopsy are crucial for diagnosing myocardial calcium deposition.
  • Understanding this condition may inform future management strategies for cardiovascular complications in renal disease.

Keywords:
CT, computed tomographicEMB, endomyocardial biopsyESRD, end-stage renal diseaseHF, heart failurecardiomyopathydisorders of calcium metabolismrestrictive

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