Myocarditis following COVID-19 vaccination

Elisabeth Albert, MD, FRCPC; Gerard Aurigemma, MD; Jason Saucedo, MD; David S. Gerson, MD

Radiology Case Reports (Aug 2021)

Myocarditis following COVID-19 vaccination

Elisabeth Albert, MD, FRCPC,
Gerard Aurigemma, MD,
Jason Saucedo, MD,
David S. Gerson, MD

Affiliations

Elisabeth Albert, MD, FRCPC: Department of Radiology University of Massachusetts Medical School, UMass Memorial Medical Center, 55 Lake avenue North, Worcester, 01655, MA, USA; Corresponding author.
Gerard Aurigemma, MD: Department of Medicine (Cardiovascular Medicine Division), University of Massachusetts Medical Center, UMass Memorial Medical Center, 55 Lake avenue North Worcester, 01655, MA, USA
Jason Saucedo, MD: Department of Medicine (Cardiovascular Medicine Division), University of Massachusetts Medical Center, UMass Memorial Medical Center, 55 Lake avenue North Worcester, 01655, MA, USA
David S. Gerson, MD: Department of Radiology University of Massachusetts Medical School, UMass Memorial Medical Center, 55 Lake avenue North, Worcester, 01655, MA, USA

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 16, no. 8
pp. 2142 – 2145

Abstract

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The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination frequently leads to minor side-effects, that may be more intense after the second dose, but more serious side effects have been reported. We report a case of a 24-year-old man who presented to the hospital with acute substernal chest pain, 4 days after his second COVID-19 Moderna vaccination. Laboratory studies revealed elevated troponins and negative viral serologies. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (cMRI) demonstrated edema and delayed gadolinium enhancement of the left ventricle in a midmyocardial and epicardial distribution. The patient was diagnosed with myocarditis following Moderna vaccination. Our case report raises concern that myocarditis is a rare side effect of COVID-19 vaccine. Despite our report, it appears that there is a significantly higher risk of cardiac involvement from COVID-19 infection compared to COVID-19 vaccination.

Published in Radiology Case Reports

ISSN: 1930-0433 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United States
LCC subjects: Medicine: Medicine (General): Medical physics. Medical radiology. Nuclear medicine
Website: https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/radiology-case-reports

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