Noncompaction of the myocardium in a patient with acute myocardial infarction.

Left-ventricular non-compaction (LVNC) is a rare congenital cardiopathy, which results from the failure of the myocardial compaction process, leading to the persistence of numerous and deep trabeculations communicating with the ventricular cavity. Its main clinical manifestations are heart failure, arrhythmias (supraventricular or ventricular) and episodes of arterial embolism. The present case reports on a Brazilian patient living in Portugal, who was hospitalized due to acute myocardial infarction, which resulted in severe LV systolic dysfunction. During the patient's assessment, LVNC was diagnosed. The clinical presentation is described, as well as the echocardiographic evaluation (two-dimensional and three-dimensional), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging and ventriculography results. The diagnostic criteria and therapeutic options are discussed.