Dual-source computed tomography imaging in a patient with atrial fıbrillation and left atrial thrombus

Abstract

f c F t v A 54-year-old man was admitted to the hospital with the ymptoms of palpitation, dyspnea, and chest pain. Electroardiography showed atrial fibrillation, and dual-source CT oronary angiography imaging was performed (Somatom efinition; Siemens, Germany). The average heart rate was 7 beats/minute (range, 60–139 beats/minute), and the canning time was 9 seconds in a single breath-hold. With ual-source CT examination, the left atrial dimensions were easured as 12 11 cm. Almost one third of the huge left trium was filled with thrombus (Figs. 1 and 2). The mitral alve was calcific and stenotic with a valve area of 1 cm. he ejection fraction of the left ventricle was 35%. In hree-dimensional cine images, the apex and anterolateral all of the left ventricle were hypokinetic. A severe stenosis as detected in the proximal segment of the left anterior escending artery (Fig. 3). The newest dual-source CT offers a temporal resolution f 83 milliseconds independent of the heart rate. Thus, a econstruction of diagnostic systolic and diastolic images is ossible for a wide range of heart rates, even in patients with rrhythmia such as atrial fibrillation, allowing accurate