To show morphologic, kinetic and perfusion findings in MR of related patients with myocardial non compaction in 4 families.

Myocardial non compaction is a condition that is now being defined and is more frequent than expected, as in the past it has often been misunderstood because of inadequate diagnostic instruments. The development of echocardiography and highly performing MR sequences allow an accurate study of this condition. Infact MR allows is now able to define: - morphology: volume of cardiac chambers; - cardiac function: total/sectoral contractility - perfusion: in condition of rest and stress - late enhancement: necrosis/fibrosis areas. Echocardiographics criteria for Non-compacted myocardium are:...

We studied 55 patients with suspected myocardial non compaction, among whose we found 4 families with at least 1 parent and 1 son affected by this condition, mainly located in lateral walls and medium-distal tracts of left ventricle; most of those patients showed associated contractile dysfunction of several type and grade; not always the entity of non compaction is directly related to the entity of contractile dysfunction. Right ventricle is often site of myocardial hypertrabeculation, only partially associated to kinetic alterations. We are going to...

Echocardiography and MR are indispensable techniques to individuate myocardial non compaction, which is an often misdiagnosed condition even nowadays and whose early diagnosis allows to attempt to protect cardiac functional reservoir.

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