Left ventricular aneurysm

This is a 59 year old man who presents with shortness of breath. A routine chest radiograph was obtained. There is a curvilinear region of increased density consistent with calcification overlying the region of the left ventricle. On the lateral radiograph, the shape of the curvilinear calcification is better appreciated. Differential considerations would include pericardial calcification, less likely pleural calcification, or calcification of a left ventricular aneurysm. Given the findings on chest xray, the patient underwent an echocardiogram which demonstrated dyskinesia of the anterior wall and apex of the left ventricule. The conglomerate of findings is most consistent with a calcified left ventricular aneurysm in the setting of a previous myocardial infarction.