WELLENS PATTERN, MYOCARDIAL BRIDGING, AND BIVENTRICULAR ARRHYTHMOGENIC CARDIOMYOPATHY: A SINGLE "TRIPLE" DIAGNOSIS

Wellens‘ syndrome describes an electrocardiographic pattern characterized by T–wave changes in the antero–septal leads that make this finding highly suggestive of a lesion of the proximal segment of the anterior interventricular artery. Case report. A 58–year–old patient from China with a silent medical history presented to the emergency department with angor, dizziness, asthenia, and blurred vision. The electrocardiogram shows a Wellens type A pattern, and blood chemistry tests collected in the emergency department show liver, kidney function and blood count within normal limits. High–sensitivity troponin T values stand at 34 ng/mL. The echocardiogram shows preserved biventricular systolic function in the absence of major regional wall motion abnormality. Given the symptoms, troponin values, and electrocardiographic pattern, the patient underwent coronary angiopgraphy, which showed lesion–free epicardial coronary arteries but with a muscular bridge in the mid–proximal section of the anterior interventricular artery, with no obvious significant systolic–diastolic caliber changes at subsequent coronary CT analysis. To better assess possible myocardial ischemic damage, the patient underwent MRI (magnetic resonance), which showed an entirely unexpected result. In fact, T1 sequences revealed biventricular adipose infiltration at the anterolateral and inferolateral walls of the left ventricle, with homosedial enhancement to nonischemic pattern on late post–contrast images: this picture was considered suggestive of biventricular arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy. In the absence of history of syncope and documented arrhythmias on prolonged rhythm monitoring during hospitalization, no indication was made for further diagnostic and therapeutic investigations from the arrhythmological point of view. Thus, beta blocker and ace inhibitor therapy was set, and the patient was started on an outpatient cardiology follow–up course and genetic counseling for him and first–degree family members was scheduled. Selecting the correct imaging method becomes crucial for a correct diagnosis, especially in cases in which symptomatology is inconclusive.