Introduction: Catheter ablation therapy for atrial fibrillation is a commonly used therapeutic method. Given the anatomical complexity of the left atrium, three-dimensional models of this chamber obtained by computed tomography (CT) are employed. Rotational atriography is a imaging technique used to obtain the same data as CT.
Methods: The aim of the study was to compare anatomical parameters of the left atrium obtained by the method of 3D rotational atriography with the data obtained by CT scans in 65 patients undergoing ablation therapy for atrial fibrillation. In addition, we compared the radiation exposure.
Results: The results of measurements showed a good correlation between the two methods.When comparing the dimensions, no statistical difference was found between the use of data from the CT of the heart and from 3D rotational atriography, except for the dimension of the left inferior pulmonary vein measured in the anteroposterior projection. A statistically significant reduction in the radiation exposure was shown with the use of 3D rotational atriography versus CT examination (10.2 ± 2.318 vs. 2.3 ± 0.6 mSV mGy-1cm-1, p < 0.001).
Conclusions: The method of 3D rotational atriography of the left atrium provides the same anatomical information as CT. There is a statistically significant reduction of the radiation exposure