Sickle-cell and alpha-thalassemia traits resulting in non-atherosclerotic myocardial infarction: Beyond coincidence?

Figure 1 Forty-six-year-old woman, carrier of sickle-cell trait and alpha-thalassemia trait, presenting with silent myocardial infarction. Findings and technique Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging showing (red circle) focal subendocardial late gadolinium enhancement in one apical-lateral segment (75% transmurality). A: Short axis view of the left ventricle with late gadolinium enhancement imaging using a Phase Sensitive Inversion Recovery (PSIR) sequence, 10 min after gadolinium infusion; B: F chamber view in PSIR sequence, 10 min after gadolinium infusion.

Figure 2 Forty-six-year-old woman, carrier of sickle-cell trait and alpha-thalassemia trait, presenting with silent myocardial infarction. Findings and technique Computed tomography coronary angiography showing normal coronary arteries with no plaque and a global calcium coronary score = 0. A: Right coronary artery; B: Diagonal branch; C: Left coronary artery; D: LIV: Left interventricular coronary artery.