[Heart failure due to severe myocardial calcification--a rare complication after irradiation on the chest wall].

A 28-year-old female who had had irradiation on the chest wall at the age of 5 as a remedy for keroid granulation after burn, recently developed congestive heart failure. Severe tricuspid regurgitation was demonstrated by echocardiography with a certain calcification in the cardiac shadow on chest radiogram. Calcified right ventricule and ventricular septum were noticed operatively, which disturbed ventricular motion and also caused tricuspid valve deformity. These calcified myocardium apparently corresponded with the irradiation field. After tricuspid valve replacement, she regained physical activity satisfactorily without congestive heart failure. Because she had no other known causes of cardiac calcification such as hypercalcemia, myocarditits, myocardial infarction or renal diseases, irradiation on the chest wall could be responsible for the severe myocardial calcification.