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Updated: Jun 20, 2026

Lumped-Parameter and Finite Element Modeling of Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction
Published on: February 13, 2021
Left ventricular non-compaction in heart failure: contemporary perspective on diagnostic challenges and treatment
Oliviana Geavlete1,2, Carsten Tschöpe3,4, Christiane E Angermann5,6
1Cardiac Care Unit, Emergency Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases Prof. Dr. C.C. Iliescu, Bucharest, Romania. oliviana_m@yahoo.com.
Insights
Left ventricular non-compaction (LVNC) and left ventricular hypertrabeculation (LVHT) are debated. Prognosis in heart failure depends on ventricular function, not trabeculation extent.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Cardiovascular Imaging
- Genetics
Background:
- Left ventricular non-compaction (LVNC) is a debated cardiomyopathy phenotype.
- Left ventricular hypertrabeculation (LVHT) in healthy individuals challenges LVNC as a distinct entity.
- Distinguishing adaptive trabeculation from cardiomyopathic LVNC is critical in heart failure (HF) patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- Review current evidence on LVHT and LVNC pathophysiology, imaging, genetics, and clinical implications in HF.
- Propose a diagnostic approach for improved interpretation, risk stratification, and management.
- Clarify the prognostic determinants in patients with LVNC/LVHT.
Main Methods:
- Comprehensive literature review focusing on HF-centered perspectives.
- Integration of echocardiography, cardiac magnetic resonance, and genetic testing.
- Analysis of prognostic factors beyond trabeculation extent.
Main Results:
- LVHT is increasingly recognized in physiological states, blurring the lines with LVNC.
- A pragmatic diagnostic approach can enhance clinical decision-making.
- Prognosis is primarily linked to ventricular function, myocardial substrate, and arrhythmic burden.
Conclusions:
- The distinction between adaptive LVHT and pathological LVNC requires careful evaluation.
- Integrated imaging and genetic testing aid in accurate diagnosis and risk assessment.
- Ventricular function and arrhythmic burden are key prognostic indicators in LVNC/LVHT.
Abstract:
Left ventricular non-compaction (LVNC) remains one of the most debated phenotypes within the spectrum of cardiomyopathy. Increasing recognition of left ventricular hypertrabeculation (LVHT) in healthy individuals and in physiological adaptive states challenges the concept of LVNC as a distinct morphological entity. In patients with heart failure (HF), distinguishing adaptive trabeculation from true cardiomyopathic LVNC is clinically critical, as misclassification may lead to unnecessary interventions or failure to identify high-risk patients. This review summarizes current evidence on the pathophysiology, imaging features, genetic background, and clinical implications of LVHT and LVNC from an HF-centred perspective. We propose a pragmatic diagnostic approach integrating echocardiography, cardiac magnetic resonance, and selective genetic testing to improve clinical interpretation, risk stratification and management. Importantly, prognosis appears to be determined primarily by ventricular function, myocardial substrate, and arrhythmic burden rather than by the extent of trabeculation itself.
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