title: Reference values for left and right ventricular trabeculation and non-compacted myocardium.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Since the differentiation between physiological and pathological trabeculation is challenging, we assessed its distribution in a reference population of selected healthy volunteers.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 117 subjects (58 males) stratified into age tertiles and by gender. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance images were acquired using a standard SSFP-sequence. Left and right ventricular (LV/RV) end-diastolic (EDV), end-systolic (ESV) and trabeculated volumes indexed to the body surface area as well as ejection fraction (EF) were quantified in short-axis views. The maximum non-compacted-to-compacted (NC/C) ratio was measured in long-axis views.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The trabeculated volumes were significantly larger in men than in women and decreased with age. The correlation between both was moderate (r=0.46; p<0.001). LV trabeculated volume was positively associated with EDV and ESV (r=0.74; r=0.59; both p<0.001) and negatively with EF (r=-0.27; p<0.005). It was no independent predictor for EF. The maximum NC/C ratio was >2.3 in 46.2% and >2.5 in 37.6% of the subjects, which is regarded as abnormal in current literature. The fraction of subjects with a maximum NC/C ratio >2.3 and the mean maximum NC/C ratio differed significantly between gender but not between age groups. An increasing NC/C ratio was associated with a significant decrease in EF (r=-0.21; p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A considerable amount of healthy volunteers fulfils the current diagnostic criteria of LV noncompaction with female subjects showing a higher fraction of false-positive results than males. LV trabeculated volume is more pronounced in young subjects and declines with age. The use of age- and gender-specific reference values as provided in this study may facilitate the delineation of physiological and pathological findings.
authors: University of Heidelberg, Department of Cardiology, Angiology and Pneumology, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, Heidelberg 69120, Germany. Electronic address: florian.andre@med.uni-heidelberg.de.
authors: Florian
authors: F
authors: André
authors: University of Heidelberg, Department of Cardiology, Angiology and Pneumology, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, Heidelberg 69120, Germany.
authors: Astrid
authors: A
authors: Burger
authors: University of Heidelberg, Department of Cardiology, Angiology and Pneumology, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, Heidelberg 69120, Germany.
authors: Dirk
authors: D
authors: Loßnitzer
authors: University of Heidelberg, Department of Cardiology, Angiology and Pneumology, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, Heidelberg 69120, Germany.
authors: Sebastian J
authors: SJ
authors: Buss
authors: University of Heidelberg, Department of Cardiology, Angiology and Pneumology, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, Heidelberg 69120, Germany.
authors: Hassan
authors: H
authors: Abdel-Aty
authors: University of Heidelberg, Department of Cardiology, Angiology and Pneumology, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, Heidelberg 69120, Germany.
authors: Evangelos
authors: E
authors: Gianntisis
authors: University of Heidelberg, Department of Cardiology, Angiology and Pneumology, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, Heidelberg 69120, Germany.
authors: Henning
authors: H
authors: Steen
authors: University of Heidelberg, Department of Cardiology, Angiology and Pneumology, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, Heidelberg 69120, Germany.
authors: Hugo A
authors: HA
authors: Katus
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001830:Body Surface Area; D005260:Female; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D056830:Isolated Noncompaction of the Ventricular Myocardium / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D019028:Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Cine / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology*; D012016:Reference Values; D013318:Stroke Volume / Q000502:physiology; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000502:physiology*; D016278:Ventricular Function, Right / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Age; Cardiovascular magnetic resonance; Gender; Physiology; Reference values; Trabeculation