Use of Computed Tomography Scan to Rule Out Phantom Thrombus in the Left Atrial Appendage

Detection of left atrial appendage thrombus by cardiac computed tomography: a word of caution.

In this issue of iJACC, Martinez et al. (1) report their experience with cardiac computed tomography (CCT) to detect left atrial appendage thrombi in patients with atrial fibrillation undergoing pulmonary vein radiofrequency ablation. Atrial fibrillation is one of the most common cardiovascular disorders, carrying significant morbidity, including cardio-embolic stroke and heart failure. Slow fl...

A Semi-Automated Algorithm for Segmentation of the Left Atrial Appendage Landing Zone: Application in Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion Procedures

Background: Mechanical occlusion of the Left atrial appendage (LAA) using a purpose-built device has emerged as an effective prophylactic treatment in patients with atrial fibrillation at risk of stroke and a contraindication for anticoagulation. A crucial step in procedural planning is the choice of the device size. This is currently based on the manual analysis of the “Device Landing Zone” fr...

Detection of Left Atrial Appendage Thrombus by Cardiac Computed Tomography in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation: A Meta-Analysis Romero et al: Computed Tomography Assessing LA/LAA Thrombus

Complex left atrial appendage morphology and left atrial appendage thrombus formation in patients with atrial fibrillation.

BACKGROUND In patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), most thrombus forms in the left atrial appendage (LAA). However, the relation of LAA morphology with LAA thrombus is unknown. METHODS AND RESULTS We prospectively enrolled 633 consecutive patients who were candidates for catheter ablation for symptomatic drug-resistant AF. Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) was performed to assess LAA ...

Detection of left atrial appendage thrombus by cardiac computed tomography in patients with atrial fibrillation: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND Transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) is considered the gold standard modality in detecting left atrial/LA appendage (LA/LAA) thrombi. However, this is a semi-invasive procedure with rare but potential life-threatening complications. Cardiac computed tomography has been proposed as an alternative method. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of card...