[Ultrasonic diagnosis of isolated noncompaction of the ventricular myocardium in adults].

Objective: To apply echocardiography in diagnosis of isolated noncompaction of ventricular myocardium (INVM) in adults.

Methods: Six patients with INVM underwent echocardiographic examination using HP5500 ultrasound system with the frequency of 2 approximately equals 4 MHz, and the observation was focused on ventricularmyocardium and endocardium at one-third of the apex.

Results: All 6 patients showed typical echocardiographic images characterized by an altered structure of the ventricular myocardium with extremely thickened, hypokinetic segments consisting of two layers: a thin, compacted epicardium and an extremely thickened endocardium, resulting in an extremely thickened ventricular wall.

Conclusion: Echocardiography should be the first choice to be applied in diagnosis of INVM, which is a distinct entity of specific cardiomyopathy in adults.