Left Atrium Measurements via Computed Tomography Pulmonary Angiogram as a Predictor of Diastolic Dysfunction
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 3, 2026
Murine Echocardiography of Left Atrium, Aorta, and Pulmonary Artery
Published on: February 20, 2017
Adam N Lick1, Raman Danrad, David L Smith
1From the *School of Medicine, †Department of Radiology, and ‡Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Pulmonary/Critical Care & Allergy/Immunology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA.
Insights
Computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA) can assess left atrial (LA) enlargement and pulmonary hypertension, correlating with echocardiography findings. Including LA and pulmonary artery/aorta ratio measurements in chest CTPA reports is recommended.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Radiology
- Pulmonology
Background:
- Left atrial enlargement on echocardiography can indicate diastolic dysfunction.
- The utility of computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA) in detecting diastolic dysfunction is not well established.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate if CTPA can detect diastolic dysfunction by measuring left atrial size.
- To assess the correlation between CTPA-derived measurements and echocardiography findings.
- To determine if CTPA can detect pulmonary hypertension.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 127 patients who underwent both CTPA and echocardiography within 48 hours.
- Correlation of left atrial diameters measured by CTPA with echocardiography.
- Evaluation of CTPA pulmonary artery/aorta ratio for pulmonary hypertension detection.
Main Results:
- 42% of patients exhibited diastolic dysfunction.
- A strong correlation (r = 0.78) was observed between left atrial size on CTPA and echocardiography.
- Left atrial size > 4.0 cm on CTPA showed 68.1% sensitivity and 73.9% specificity for diastolic dysfunction.
- A pulmonary artery/aorta ratio > 0.84 on CTPA demonstrated 84% sensitivity and 33% specificity for pulmonary hypertension.
Conclusions:
- CTPA measurements of left atrial size and pulmonary artery/aorta ratio correlate strongly with echocardiography.
- The study suggests incorporating left atrial and pulmonary artery/aorta ratio measurements into routine chest CTPA reports.
Purpose:
Left atrium (LA) enlargement on echocardiography may be an indicator of diastolic dysfunction (DD). It is not well known if computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA) can detect DD.
Methods:
A total of 127 patients who underwent both CTPA and echo within 48 hours were analyzed retrospectively. Left atrium diameters from CTPA were correlated with echo and evaluated against degrees of DD. Computed tomography pulmonary angiography pulmonary artery (PA)/aorta ratio was analyzed as a tool to detect pulmonary hypertension.
Results:
There were 42% of patients who had DD. There was a strong correlation between LA size on CTPA and echo (r = 0.78). An LA greater than 4.0 cm gave a sensitivity of 68.1% and specificity of 73.9% for DD detection. A PA/aorta cutoff greater than 0.84 yielded a sensitivity of 84% and specificity of 33% for pulmonary hypertension.
Conclusions:
Computed tomography pulmonary angiography measurements of LA and PA/aorta ratio correlate strongly with equivalent findings on echo. We suggest that LA and PA/aorta measurements be included on chest CTPA reports.
More Related Videos
04:48Noninvasive Determination of Vortex Formation Time Using Transesophageal Echocardiography During Cardiac Surgery
Published on: November 28, 2018
08:19Transthoracic Echocardiography to Assess Post-Resuscitation Left Ventricular Dysfunction After Acute Myocardial Infarction and Cardiac Arrest in Pigs
Published on: July 12, 2022
Related Concept Videos
01:22Aortic Regurgitation II: Clinical Features and Diagnostic Tests
01:20Imaging Studies for Cardiovascular System III: X-Ray
Definition and Purpose
An X-ray, or radiograph, is a non-invasive method that uses ionizing radiation to take images of internal structures. It is mainly used in cardiac imaging to examine the heart, lungs, and major blood vessels, aiming to identify abnormalities in the heart's size, shape, and position, such as heart failure, congenital defects, and vascular...
01:23Mitral Stenosis II: Clinical features and Diagnostic Tests