Role of Cardiac Magnetic Resonance in the Diagnosis and Prognosis of Ventricular Noncompaction Cardiomyopathy

Objective: A low left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) is the most important marker of a poor clinical prognosis in many heart diseases. This study aimed to determine the cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings most associated with reduced LVEF in left ventricular noncompaction cardiomyopathy (LVNC). Methods: MRI scans of cases of LVNC with isolated left ventricular involvement were reviewed. The number of segments involved by LVNC, LVEF, wall thickness of LVNC-affected segments, cardiac output, and cardiac index were determined. An LVEF value of <= 30% was accepted as a poor prognosis indicator. Low LVEF and morphology were compared by the Pearson correlation method. Results: In total, 31 cases of LVNC were included. The highest correlation was found between EF and the number of segments affected (r =-0.6). LVEF was inversely correlated with the number of segments affected. Other factors that were significantly associated with low LVEF were the presence of fibrosis, low cardiac output, and low cardiac index. Conclusion: In conclusion, the number of non-compact segments is the most important morpho-pathological factor in clinical follow-up and treatment planning in LVNC cases due to its effect on EF change.