Echocardiographic recognition and implications of ventricular hypertrophic trabeculations and aberrant bands

The accuracy of two-dimensional echocardiography in the recognition of aberrant ventricular bands and pathologic trabeculations (hypertrophic, fibrotic, or both) was assessed in 35 patients who underwent cardiac transplantation and pathologic examination. At pathologic study the prevalence of specific intracavitary structures ranged from 28% to 43%. Left ventricular thrombi were found in 12 patients (34%) and right ventricular thrombi in three (9%). Echocardiography accurately defined left ventricular aberrant bands and left ventricular thickened or fibrotic trabeculations. Bands, trabeculations, and thrombi each showed characteristic echocardiographic patterns. In the right ventricle, these structures were recognized, but accurate discrimination among them was not possible by echocardiography. Aberrant bands and pathologic trabeculations mimicked or obscured fresh or organized thrombi in three patients on two-dimensional echocardiography. Left ventricular longitudinal bands and pathologic right ventricular trabeculations obscured the interventricular septal border in four patients; the presence of these abnormalities could lead to the erroneous diagnosis of asymmetric septal hypertrophy on M mode echocardiography. By expressing the accuracy of two-dimensional echocardiography in the recognition of left ventricular anomalous bands, our results support the feasibility of prospective studies to clarify their clinical significance.