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Updated: Sep 16, 2025

Cardiac Magnetic Resonance for the Evaluation of Suspected Cardiac Thrombus: Conventional and Emerging Techniques
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Left Atrial Diverticula Detected on Cardiac CT in Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Substudy of Mind the Heart

Shan Sui Nio1, Leon A Rinkel1, Olivia N Cramer1

  • 1Departments of Neurology (S.S.N., L.A.R., O.N.C., Z.B.O., C.F.P.B., V.G., Y.B.W.E.M.R., J.M.C.) Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Stroke
|July 7, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Left atrial diverticula, outpouchings in the heart, are linked to a higher risk of recurrent ischemic stroke. Larger diverticula increase this risk, but functional outcomes may be better in affected patients.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Neurology
  • Radiology

Background:

  • Left atrial (LA) diverticula are outpouchings of the LA wall.
  • These diverticula may be associated with an increased risk of ischemic stroke.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between LA diverticula and recurrent ischemic stroke.
  • To evaluate the impact of LA diverticula on functional outcomes after stroke.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective cohort study of 447 patients with acute ischemic stroke undergoing cardiac CT.
  • LA diverticula identified and characterized by cardiac radiologists.
  • Recurrent stroke and functional outcomes (modified Rankin Scale) compared between patients with and without LA diverticula at 2 years, with adjusted analyses.

Main Results:

  • 28% of patients had LA diverticula.
  • Recurrent ischemic stroke was more common in patients with LA diverticula (15% vs 8%).
  • Stroke recurrence risk increased with diverticulum volume, and functional outcomes were better in patients with diverticula.

Conclusions:

  • LA diverticula are a common finding in patients with acute ischemic stroke.
  • LA diverticula are associated with an increased risk of recurrent ischemic stroke, especially larger ones.
  • LA diverticula may represent a risk factor for recurrent ischemic stroke.
Abstract

Keywords:
anticoagulantsdiverticulumheart atriaischemic strokerisk factorstomography

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