Computed tomography demonstration of lipomatous metaplasia of the left ventricle following myocardial infarction

J Comput Assist Tomogr. 2004 Jul-Aug;28(4):455-8. doi: 10.1097/00004728-200407000-00004.

Abstract

Replacement of myocardium by fat, particularly of the right ventricle, is often diagnosed as arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia. At autopsy, however, 68% of scars associated with chronic ischemic heart disease have shown fatty metaplasia in the scar. Four patients with a past history of previous myocardial infarctions and computed tomography demonstration of fatty change in left ventricular regions of hypokinesis and infarction are presented. It is proposed that these findings represent ischemic fatty metaplasia, an alternative etiology of fatty tissue replacing myocardium.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adipose Tissue / diagnostic imaging*
  • Adipose Tissue / pathology
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Echocardiography
  • Heart Ventricles / diagnostic imaging*
  • Heart Ventricles / pathology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Metaplasia
  • Middle Aged
  • Myocardial Infarction / complications*
  • Myocardial Infarction / pathology
  • Myocardial Ischemia / pathology
  • Myocardium / pathology*
  • Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed / methods*
  • Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / diagnostic imaging