Case 270: Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection Associated with Fibromuscular Dysplasia.

HistoryA 54-year-old woman presented with typical chest pain during physical training at the gym. She had a history of hypertension controlled with hydrochlorothiazide, without any other cardiovascular risk factor and with neither personal nor family history of ischemic heart disease. She was postmenopausal and had a long-standing history of migraine headaches without hormonal or drug therapy. The patient had no history of clinically important thoracic trauma or invasive chest interventions. Initial electrocardiography (ECG) showed signs of ongoing anterior ST segment elevation myocardial infarction, and emergent coronary angiography with angioplasty and intravascular US were performed. Maximal level of high-sensitive T troponins was 820 ng/L (normal, <13 ng/L), while echocardiography showed a normal left ventricular ejection fraction, with no apparent regional wall motion abnormalities. General physical examination findings were unremarkable, excluding ligamentous hyperlaxity and joint instability. C-reactive protein, rheumatoid factor, antinuclear antibody, cytoplasmic antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody, and angiotensin-converting enzyme blood test results were negative. For further evaluation, arterial phase ECG-synchronized CT angiography from the skull base to the pubis symphysis was performed.

Case 270.

History A 54-year-old woman presented with typical chest pain during physical training at the gym. She had a history of hypertension controlled with hydrochlorothiazide, without any other cardiovascular risk factor and with neither personal nor family history of ischemic heart disease. She was postmenopausal and had a long-standing history of migraine headaches without hormonal or drug therapy. The patient had no history of clinically important thoracic trauma or invasive chest interventions. Initial electrocardiography (ECG) showed signs of ongoing anterior ST segment elevation myocardial infarction, and emergent coronary angiography with angioplasty and intravascular US were performed ( Fig 1 ). Maximal level of high-sensitive T troponins was 820 ng/L (normal, <13 ng/L), while echocardiography showed a normal left ventricular ejection fraction, with no apparent regional wall motion abnormalities. General physical examination findings were unremarkable, excluding ligamentous hyperlaxity and joint instability. C-reactive protein, rheumatoid factor, antinuclear antibody, cytoplasmic antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody, and angiotensin-converting enzyme blood test results were negative. For further evaluation, arterial phase ECG-synchronized CT angiography from the skull base to the pubis symphysis was performed ( Fig 2 ). Figure 1a: Coronary angiography of the left anterior descending (LAD) and left circumflex (LCX) arteries (30° right anterior oblique and 20° caudally angulated projection) and intravascular US of the LCX artery were performed. (a) Initial coronary angiography projection. (b) Coronary angiography projection after LAD stent placement. (c, d) Intravenous US images of the distal (c) and proximal (d) LCX artery obtained after b. Figure 1b: Coronary angiography of the left anterior descending (LAD) and left circumflex (LCX) arteries (30° right anterior oblique and 20° caudally angulated projection) and intravascular US of the LCX artery were performed. (a) Initial coronary angiography projection. (b) Coronary angiography projection after LAD stent placement. (c, d) Intravenous US images of the distal (c) and proximal (d) LCX artery obtained after b. Figure 1c: Coronary angiography of the left anterior descending (LAD) and left circumflex (LCX) arteries (30° right anterior oblique and 20° caudally angulated projection) and intravascular US of the LCX artery were performed. (a) Initial coronary angiography projection. (b) Coronary angiography projection after LAD stent placement. (c, d) Intravenous US images of the distal (c) and proximal (d) LCX artery obtained after b. Figure 1d: Coronary angiography of the left anterior descending (LAD) and left circumflex (LCX) arteries (30° right anterior oblique and 20° caudally angulated projection) and intravascular US of the LCX artery were performed. (a) Initial coronary angiography projection. (b) Coronary angiography projection after LAD stent placement. (c, d) Intravenous US images of the distal (c) and proximal (d) LCX artery obtained after b. Figure 2a: Arterial phase electrocardiography-synchronized CT angiography from the skull base to the pubis symphysis was performed after coronary angiography, subsequent interventional procedures, and intravenous US. (a, b) Axial oblique slab maximum intensity projection image at the level of the left (a) and right (b) renal arteries. (c) Coronal volume-rendering image shows an anterior view of the renal arteries. Figure 2b: Arterial phase electrocardiography-synchronized CT angiography from the skull base to the pubis symphysis was performed after coronary angiography, subsequent interventional procedures, and intravenous US. (a, b) Axial oblique slab maximum intensity projection image at the level of the left (a) and right (b) renal arteries. (c) Coronal volume-rendering image shows an anterior view of the renal arteries. Figure 2c: Arterial phase electrocardiography-synchronized CT angiography from the skull base to the pubis symphysis was performed after coronary angiography, subsequent interventional procedures, and intravenous US. (a, b) Axial oblique slab maximum intensity projection image at the level of the left (a) and right (b) renal arteries. (c) Coronal volume-rendering image shows an anterior view of the renal arteries.