Adjuvant Role of CT in the Diagnosis of Post-Infarction Left Ventricular Free-Wall Rupture

Left ventricular free wall rupture is usually a catastrophic mechanical complication of myocardial infarction. Risk factors include advanced age, female gender and absence of prior infarction. The vast majority of patients succumb rapidly due to cardiac tamponade and electromechanical dissociation. Expedited and accurate diagnosis can improve the chances of survival. Echocardiography has been advocated as the gold standard for diagnosis, but other imaging modalities can provide valuable information in these patients. We present the case of a patient who presented with cardiogenic shock, in which the definitive diagnosis of a left ventricular free wall rupture was accomplished by CT scan with intravenous contrast.