Evaluation of left atrial appendage stasis in patients with atrial fibrillation using transesophageal echocardiography with an intravenous albumin-contrast agent.
To assess stasis in the left atrial appendage in patients with atrial fibrillation and to identify patients at increased risk for thromboembolism, we performed transesophageal echocardiography with an intravenous albumin contrast agent (Albunex) in 25 patients with atrial fibrillation and in 22 patients in sinus rhythm. We demonstrated that the absence of opacification in the left atrial appendage after Albunex administration implies a high risk of left atrial thrombus and cardiogenic thromboembolism.
Kato
H
H
Department of Internal Medicine, Fukui Kosei Hospital, Japan.
Nakanishi
M
M
Maekawa
N
N
Ohnishi
T
T
Yamamoto
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000418:Albumins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016279:Atrial Function, Left; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
D000418:Albumins; C060687:Albunex; D003287:Contrast Media