Dilated cardiomyopathy

Dilated cardiomyopathies either familial/genetic or non-familial/non-genetic in origin are characterized by dilatation of one or both ventricles and systolic dysfunction. The modern imaging techniques allow assessment of the primary myocardial defect as abnormalities in the structural, mechanical, metabolic, and perfusion patterns. The diagnostic and the prognostic role of the three most used imaging modalities (echocardiography, nuclear technologies, and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging) are discussed with the purpose of integrating the specific cardiac characteristics provided by each of them.