title: Left ventricular noncompaction: an unusual cause of ventricular ectopic beats.
abstract: Isolated ventricular ectopic beats (VEB) are a frequent finding in clinical practice. Determining their etiology and risk stratification strategies requires exclusion of non-cardiac causes and structural heart disease. However, with advances in imaging techniques, molecular biology and electrophysiology, the concept of structural heart disease has changed, and it is important to consider the benefits of using these techniques in cases that have not been entirely clarified. The authors describe the case of a patient with frequent isolated VEB, with a find diagnosis of isolated noncompaction of the lefts ventricle following cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. They present an uncommon cause of VEB, which has raised questions regarding its real prevalence. Better diagnostic accuracy is expected with the use of new imaging techniques.
authors.affiliation: Serviço de Cardiologia, Centro Hospitalar de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal. a.bota@clix.pt
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Botelho
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Providência
authors.forename: Diogo
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cavaco
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mota
authors.forename: A M Leitão
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Marques
mesh_terms: D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000150:complications*; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018879:Ventricular Premature Complexes / Q000209:etiology*