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Updated: Apr 15, 2026
Catheter Ablation in Combination With Left Atrial Appendage Closure for Atrial Fibrillation
Published on: February 26, 2013
CT imaging for left atrial appendage closure: a review and pictorial essay
Tevfik Fehmi Ismail1, Sandeep Panikker2, Vias Markides2
1Radiology Department, Royal Brompton Hospital, Sydney Street, London SW3 6NP, United Kingdom; National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.
Insights
Left atrial appendage (LAA) closure devices help prevent cardioembolic stroke in atrial fibrillation patients. Cardiovascular CT imaging is crucial for assessing suitability, guiding interventions, and evaluating outcomes for LAA closure procedures.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Radiology
- Medical Device Technology
Background:
- Cardioembolic stroke is a significant complication of atrial fibrillation.
- Thrombi causing stroke often originate from the left atrial appendage (LAA), making LAA closure a key thromboprophylaxis strategy.
- Percutaneous LAA closure is increasingly offered, especially to patients ineligible for oral anticoagulants.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the role of cardiovascular CT in assessing patients for LAA interventions.
- To emphasize CT's utility in guiding device selection and procedural approach.
- To underscore CT's importance in post-intervention evaluation for complications and outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing contemporary contrast-enhanced gated multidetector cardiovascular CT.
- Leveraging high spatial resolution and multiplanar capabilities for detailed anatomical assessment.
- Noninvasive evaluation of patients before and after LAA closure procedures.
Main Results:
- Cardiovascular CT provides essential information for patient suitability and procedural planning.
- CT enables precise guidance for device selection and intervention approach.
- Post-intervention CT assessment effectively evaluates for complications and procedural success.
Conclusions:
- Cardiovascular CT is an ideal imaging modality for percutaneous LAA closure.
- CT facilitates comprehensive pre-procedural assessment and post-procedural monitoring.
- Advanced CT techniques support the safe and effective application of LAA closure devices.
Abstract:
Cardioembolic stroke is an important complication of atrial fibrillation. The thrombus responsible for this arises from the left atrial appendage (LAA) in >90% of cases, providing the rationale for device-based LAA closure as a means of thromboprophylaxis. Although oral anticoagulant therapy remains the mainstay for reducing the risk of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation, an increasing number of patients, particularly those ineligible for conventional pharmacotherapy, are being offered percutaneous left atrial appendage closure. Cardiovascular CT can provide important information to assess the suitability of patients for LAA interventions and guide device selection and approach. The high spatial resolution and multiplanar capability of contemporary contrast-enhanced gated multidetector cardiovascular CT render it an ideal modality for noninvasively evaluating patients before intervention and assessing patients after intervention both for complications and procedural outcome.
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