Echocardiography in the diagnosis left ventricular noncompaction
2008

Echocardiography in the Diagnosis of Left Ventricular Noncompaction

publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Song Ze-Zhou

Primary Institution: Department of Ultrasound, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, PR China

Hypothesis

Echocardiography is the preferred method for diagnosing noncompaction of ventricular myocardium (NVM).

Conclusion

Echocardiography is essential for diagnosing NVM, but misdiagnosis is common due to a lack of awareness.

Supporting Evidence

  • Echocardiography is the most commonly used diagnostic method for NVM.
  • Misdiagnosis of NVM can significantly impact patient prognosis.
  • Family screening for NVM can help identify affected family members.

Takeaway

Doctors use special heart scans called echocardiograms to find a heart problem called noncompaction, but sometimes they miss it because they don't know enough about it.

Methodology

The review discusses various echocardiographic techniques used to diagnose NVM, including 2D, 3D, and contrast echocardiography.

Potential Biases

The study highlights the risk of misdiagnosis due to a lack of familiarity with NVM among echocardiographers.

Limitations

Echocardiography may not always provide clear images, leading to misinterpretation and delayed diagnosis.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1186/1476-7120-6-64

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