A case report of left ventricular non-compaction in progression to dilated cardiomyopathy: Diagnostic utilization of multiple imaging modalities

Abstract

Left ventricular non-compaction, which is characterized by left ventricular hypertrabeculation, is a rare congenital cardiomyopathy. The changing and progressing morphology, with different clinical manifestations, made the diagnosis difficult. Here is a case report of a middle-age woman, who had exercise intolerance for many years. Traditional echocardiography showed findings of dilated cardiomyopathy but obscure trabeculations, which was clearly seen by three-dimensional echocardiography. Subsequent cardiac magnetic resonance imaging well demonstrated the myocardial non-compaction and delayed enhancement. LVNC could be found early in a child, and also in a mid-age adult. When a patient with LVNC had progressing heart failure, the hypertrabeculation may become less prominent. The utilization of three-dimensional echocardiography and MRI would help identify such landmark findings.