Objective To study the clinical, electrocardiogram and electrocardiographic characteristics of patients with non-compaction of ventricular myocardium (NVM), so as to improve the diagnosis and treatment of the disease. Methods The clinical and electrocardiographic features of 13 NVM cases admitted in Institute of Geriatric Cardiology, Chinese PLA General Hospital between 2009 and 2011 were summarized and analyzed. Combining with reported cases in literatures, the clinical features, electrocardiogram, echocardiogram, treatment measures and prognosis of NVM were discussed. Results The NVM patients ranged from infancy to geriatric age, but more common in middle-aged. Different extent of heart failure and multiple kinds of arrhythmia and ST-T changes were found in all the 13 cases. Echocardiography was the primary means in diagnosis of NVM with high specificity, but the MRI and other examination were also important. Conclusion NVM is a rare congenital heart disease, with heart failure, ventricular arrhythmia and enlargement of the whole heart as the major characteristics. ECG and UCG are helpful for the diagnosis of NVM.