Histologic Sequelae of Apical Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: Dystrophic Calcification

Abstract

We present cardiac computed tomography (CT) findings demonstrating apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with dystrophic calcification of the left ventricular apex. The absence of significant epicardial coronary artery disease demonstrated by coronary CT angiography suggests that increased wall tension and decreased microvascular perfusion over time account for the dyskinetic apical myocardium, rather than myocardial infarction secondary to atherosclerotic plaque rupture. These observations support CT as the imaging modality of choice to visualize the deposition of calcium in injured myocardial tissue, a recognized occurrence in chronically infarcted myocardium.