Comparison of biplane manual, automated volumetric and MRI methods for assessment of left ventricle volumes and function in a series of three left ventricle non-compaction patients

Abstract Background Non-compaction of the ventricular myocardium (LVNC) is a rare genetically determined heart defect. The disease is most frequently detected during accidental echocardiography. There is no golden rule examination for LVNC diagnosis. In our study, we aimed to compare the measurements of the left ventricle volumes and function obtained with the two-dimensional, and three-dimensional echo based on the results from MR imaging in a series of three left ventricle non-compaction cardiomyopathy patients. Case presentation Patients’ age was 43–53 years. Two patients presented with congestive heart failure, third patient presented with ventricular arrhythmia. The proportion of thickness of non-compacted to compacted layers ranged from 2.3 to 3.6. Three-dimensional echo has revealed substantially higher end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes in comparison to two-dimensional echo, yet not as high as assessed in magnetic resonance imaging. Speckle tracking revealed reduced global longitudinal, radial, and circumferential strain, even in the patients with normal left ventricle function. Conclusion Real-time three-dimensional echocardiography with automated left ventricle analysis offers more information on the assessment of left ventricle in patients with left ventricle non-compaction in comparison to two-dimensional echocardiography. Speckle tracking analysis may add prognostic information in this specific group of patients.