INTRODUCTION: Isolated left ventricular noncompaction is a rare form of 
cardiomyopathy. Heart failure with deteriorated systolic function is the 
hallmark of this cardiomyopathy. Albeit it may cause ventricular tachycardia 
(VT) and systemic embolism, it is a rarity to see these complications in a 
patient with noncompaction and normal systolic functions.
CASE REPORT: A 78-year old female patient with a history of cerebrovascular 
accident admitted to our hospital with palpitation and subsequently developed 
cardiopulmonary arrest. Her ECG showed ventricular tachycardia degenerated into 
fibrillation. Echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) revealed a 
small noncompacted segment in left ventricular apex. Ventricular tachycardia was 
induced in electrophysiologic study and an implantable 
cardioverter-defibrillator was implanted.
DISCUSSION: Patients with isolated left ventricular noncompaction usually 
present with heart failure symptoms and subsequently diagnosed with 
echocardiography. Rarely, it may cause ventricular tachycardia and systemic 
embolism in a patient with normal systolic functions and a small noncompacted 
segment. Noncompaction should be carefully sought in unexplained ventricular 
tachycardia and cerebrovascular accidents, even if heart failure is not present.