Multidetector Computed Tomography Imaging for the Diagnosis of Hyperthyroid Cardiomyopathy

Abstract

We present two cases of hyperthyroid cardiomyopathy (CMP) caused by Graves’ disease in which multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) findings provided specific diagnostic clues, guiding the attending physician to a prompt diagnosis and allowing rapid initiation of therapy. We believe that a combination of diffuse thyroid enlargement, with decreased attenuation on non-enhanced chest CT, thymic hyperplasia and cardiomegaly (i.e. predominantly right heart failure with enlargement of the left atrium) are suspicious CT findings of hyperthyroid CMP.