[Left atrial enlargement. Electrocardiographic, radiographic and echocardiographic evaluation]

Some ECG criteria and the radiologic method of Westcott are evaluated against echocardiography in the left atrial enlargement. ECG shows generally a very good sensitivity (72%); particularly when the diameter is more than 5 cm. The radiologic findings show significant correlative indexes in normal and in softly enlarged atria. In atria greater than or equal to 5 cm the method is not so precise; the reasons are discussed on an anatomical basis. We acknowledge an important place to the ECG described criteria and to the Westcott method in the depistage of the left atrium enlargement.