Approach to incidentally diagnosed isolated ventricular noncompaction of myocardium

Abstract

Isolated ventricular noncompaction (IVNC) is a congenital cardiomyopathy characterized by a distinctive ("spongy") morphological appearance of the left ventricular (LV) myocardium. It is rare but, with improved imaging modalities and awareness, it is being reported more frequently. Clinical manifestations may range from being asymptomatic to heart failure, arrhythmias, sudden cardiac death, and systemic thromboembolism. With the increasing reporting frequency, the implications of incidentally diagnosed noncompaction need to be addressed. We came across two cases at our medical center which raised important practical questions.