Left ventricular trabeculae: quantification in different cardiac diseases and impact on left ventricular morphological and functional parameters assessed with cardiac magnetic resonance.
OBJECTIVE
Left ventricle trabeculae (LVT) are frequently seen in different cardiac diseases. Normal reference values of LVT in different cardiac conditions are not known. The aim of the study was to quantify with cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR), LVT mass (LVTM) and LVTM percentage (LVTM%) in different heart diseases and to evaluate their influence on left ventricular morphological and functional parameters.


METHODS
Fifty-nine patients (14 controls, 17 ischemic cardiomyopathy, 15 nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy, 7 valvular heart disease and 6 with left ventricle hypertrophy) were enrolled. Cine-MR images were acquired with steady-state free-precession sequence in a short-axis view. LVTM was calculated as the difference between LVM excluding/including trabecuale from the blood cavity. LVTM% was calculated as the percentage of the whole left ventricle mass excluding trabeculae from the blood cavity.


RESULTS
Mean age was 47.60 +/- 22.03 years; male 62.7%. Mean LVTM was of 33.38 +/- 16.1 g with mean LVTM% of 19.22 +/- 6.5%. Significant differences between groups for both parameters with P values of 0.02 were obtained. Nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy showed the highest degree of LVTM (44.73 +/- 16.0 g) and LVTM% (23.26 +/- 6%). Significant differences were noted in left ventricular morphological and functional parameters with inclusion/exclusion of LVT in the myocardial mass.


CONCLUSIONS
Reference values and differences of LVTM and LVTM% in various cardiac conditions are given for the first time. Quantification of these parameters with CMR may be clinically useful in the differential diagnosis between left ventricular noncompaction and other cardiac diseases. Exclusion of LVT from myocardium alters left ventricular morphological and functional parameters, which have significant clinical importance.
Fernández-Golfín
Covadonga
C
Cardiac Imaging Unit, Cardiovascular Institute, Hospital Clínico San Carlos. Madrid, Spain. covagolfin@yahoo.es
Pachón
Marta
M
Corros
Cecilia
C
Bustos
Ana
A
Cabeza
Beatriz
B
Ferreirós
Joaquín
J
de Isla
Leopoldo Pérez
LP
Macaya
Carlos
C
Zamorano
José
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D056830:Isolated Noncompaction of the Ventricular Myocardium / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D019028:Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Cine; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left