Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 5, 2026
Echocardiographic Evaluation of Atrial Communications before Transcatheter Closure
Published on: February 8, 2022
Assessment of normal left atrial appendage anatomy and function over gender and ages by dynamic cardiac CT
Samy Boucebci1, Thomas Pambrun2, Stéphane Velasco3
1University Hospital, Department of Radiology, University of Poitiers, Poitiers, France. samy@boucebci.com.
Insights
Left atrial appendage (LAA) volumes increase with age, while LAA ejection fraction (LAAEF) decreases in both men and women. Cardiac CT reveals these age-related anatomical and functional changes in healthy individuals.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular imaging
- Cardiac anatomy
- Medical diagnostics
Background:
- The left atrial appendage (LAA) is a common site for thrombus formation.
- Normal in vivo anatomy and function of the LAA concerning age and gender are not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate age and gender variations in LAA anatomy and function.
- Utilize cardiac computed tomography (CT) in a large prospective cohort of healthy patients.
Main Methods:
- Performed 3D cardiac reconstructions of the LAA from CT scans of 193 patients.
- Measured LAA lobes, tip position, angulation, indexed volumes (iVolmin, iVolmax), and LAA ejection fraction (LAAEF).
- Assessed relationships between parameters and age.
Main Results:
- Men exhibited longer and wider LAAs.
- LAA volumes (iVolmin, iVolmax) increased by 0.23 and 0.19 ml per decade, respectively.
- LAAEF decreased by 2% per decade in both sexes.
Conclusions:
- LAA volumes increase with age in both sexes.
- LAAEF decreases with age in both sexes.
- Cardiac CT is a reliable tool for LAA volume assessment.
Objectives:
The aim of this study was to evaluate variations in anatomy and function according to age and gender using cardiac computed tomography (CT) in a large prospective cohort of healthy patients.
Background:
The left atrial appendage (LAA) is considered the most frequent site of intracardiac thrombus formation. However, variations in normal in vivo anatomy and function according to age and gender remain largely unknown.
Methods:
Three-dimensional (3D) cardiac reconstructions of the LAA were performed from CT scans of 193 consecutive patients. Parameters measured included LAA number of lobes, anatomical position of the LAA tip, angulation measured between the proximal and distal portions, minimum (iVolmin) and maximum (iVolmax) volumes indexed to body surface area (BSA), and ejection fraction (LAAEF). Relationship with age was assessed for each parameter.
Results:
We found that men had longer and wider LAAs. The iVolmin and iVolmax increased by 0.23 and 0.19 ml per decade, respectively, while LAAEF decreased by 2% per decade in both sexes.
Conclusions:
Although LAA volumes increase, LAAEF decreases with age in both sexes.
Key Points:
• Variations in normal left atrial appendage in vivo anatomy and function remain largely unknown. • Cardiac CT is reliable for left atrial appendage volume measurements. • Although LAA volumes increase, LAAEF decreases with age in both sexes.
More Related Videos
08:10Estimating Bilateral Atrial Function by Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Feature Tracking in Patients with Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation
Published on: July 20, 2022
28:13Catheter Ablation in Combination With Left Atrial Appendage Closure for Atrial Fibrillation
Published on: February 26, 2013
Related Concept Videos
01:28Imaging Studies for Cardiovascular System V: CT
01:24Cardiac Catheterization III: Left Heart Catheterization
01:22Aortic Regurgitation II: Clinical Features and Diagnostic Tests
01:23Mitral Stenosis II: Clinical features and Diagnostic Tests