Does LVNC get worse?

The progression of LVNC is also highly variable: in rare cases, regression of noncompaction has been observed (6,7), whereas other cases are associated with serious complications including heart failure, life-threatening ventricular arrhythmia and cardioembolism.

How is non compaction cardiomyopathy diagnosed?

Diagnosis of non-compaction cardiomyopathy (NCM): key points

1. Echocardiography is the first line diagnostic modality.
2. Contrast echocardiography may be useful in cases with unclear diagnosis.
3. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) is the best option for diagnostic confirmation.

Is Left ventricular non compaction hereditary?

In most cases, including when the condition is caused by mutations in the MYH7 or MYBPC3 gene, left ventricular noncompaction is inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern, which means one copy of the altered gene in each cell is sufficient to cause the disorder.

How serious is LVNC?

The most serious complication of LVNC is sudden cardiac arrest. Sudden cardiac arrest is a sudden loss of heart function caused by a dangerously fast heart rhythm called ventricular tachycardia.

Are you born with LVNC?

How does LVNC happen? LVNC is a condition that usually develops before birth, when a baby is still an embryo, developing in its mother’s womb. This means that a person is usually born with the condition. However, some people may develop the condition after birth (and then it is called ‘acquired’ LVNC).

How is left ventricular noncompaction diagnosed?

The diagnosis of LVNC is based on cardiac testing, family history, medical history, and physical exam. Cardiac testing: An echocardiogram is the most common test used to diagnose LVNC, as the trabeculations within the left ventricle and overall squeeze of the heart can be measured with this test.

What does non compaction mean?

Non-compaction cardiomyopathy (NCC), is a rare congenital disease of heart muscle that affects both children and adults. It results from abnormal prenatal development of heart muscle. During development, the majority of the heart muscle is a sponge-like meshwork of interwoven myocardial fibers.

Is LVNC hereditary?

LVNC is classified as an inherited cardiomyopathy of autosomal dominant inheritance, and clinical screening of first-degree family members is indicated2. Outside such families, LV trabeculation identified in an individual may be an incidental finding or a feature of a syndrome3,4.

Is LVNC fatal?

Left ventricular noncompaction (LVNC) is a rare congenital cardiomyopathy with a clinical presentation that ranges from no symptoms to sudden cardiac death due to fatal arrhythmia or heart failure.

How to use echo for left ventricular noncompaction?

Here are some practical tips when using echo: When looking for left ventricular noncompaction, image resolution, contrast and positioning of the focus in the apical region are crucial.

What does non-compaction of the left ventricle mean?

Non-compaction of the left ventricle, also known as spongiform cardiomyopathy or left ventricular non-compaction (LVNC) is a phenotype of hypertrophic ventricular trabeculations and deep interventricular recesses.

Can a chest radiograph detect non-compaction of the left ventricle?

Chest radiographs are not useful in the diagnosis of non-compaction of the left ventricle. They are more useful in identifying complications of the cardiomyopathy, such as pulmonary edema and cardiomegaly.

What kind of cardiomyopathy is left ventricular noncompaction?

Left ventricular noncompaction is a rare cardiomyopathy, that should be considered as a possible diagnosis because of its potential complications which are heart failure, ventricular arrhythmias, and embolic events. Echocardiography is the standard diagnostic tool,…