Noncompaction of the ventricular myocardium: the use of contrast-enhanced echocardiography in diagnosis.
We describe a case of noncompaction of the ventricular myocardium diagnosed in the preoperative evaluation of a patient undergoing renal transplantation. Ventricular noncompaction is characterized by numerous prominent trabecular recesses with intratrabecular blood from the ventricular cavity. Color Doppler was suggestive of intramyocardial flow. With contrast-enhanced echocardiography the endocardial borders were clearly demarcated, allowing for visualization of trabecular recesses and intratrabecular flow. Contrast-enhanced echocardiography facilitates the diagnosis of noncompaction of the ventricular myocardium, circumventing the need for invasive diagnostic testing.
Lowery
Maureen H
MH
Division of Cardiology, University of Miami School of Medicine, FL 33136, USA. Mlowery@med.miami.edu
Martel
Jose A
JA
Zambrano
Juan P
JP
Ferreira
Alexandre
A
Eco
Lourdes
L
Gallagher
Anthony
A
D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement; D008875:Middle Aged