Multimodality Imaging in the Diagnosis of an Early Tako-Tsubo Syndrome Recurrence

TL;DR

An 80-year-old woman with a history of Tako-Tsubo syndrome experienced a recurrence after emotional stress, diagnosed using multiple imaging techniques.

Contribution

The case highlights the value of multimodality imaging in diagnosing Tako-Tsubo syndrome recurrence.

Findings

Cardiac CT and ICA ruled out significant coronary artery disease but identified vulnerable plaque.

Cardiac MRI confirmed a recurrence of Tako-Tsubo syndrome.

Multimodality imaging was critical for accurate diagnosis and management.

Abstract

We report the case of an 80 yo female patient with cardiovascular risk factors and previous diagnosis of Tako-Tsubo syndrome, who was referred to our institution one year after a previous diagnosis, due to symptoms suggestive of acute coronary syndrome (SCA) after severe emotional stress. After ruling out suspected CAD by cardiac computed tomography (CCT) and subsequent invasive coronary angiography (ICA) confirming no significant stenosis but presence of vulnerable plaque, the patient underwent further investigation by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) that confirmed a clinical picture compatible with recurrence of Tako-Tsubo syndrome. Our case underlines the importance of multimodality imaging to guide diagnosis and treatment in this specific clinical scenario.

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