Usefulness of electron beam tomography in the prone position for detecting atrial thrombi in chronic atrial fibrillation.
OBJECTIVE
We compared the usefulness of electron beam tomography (EBT) in the prone position relative to that in the supine position for detecting atrial thrombi.


METHODS
We studied 96 patients with chronic atrial fibrillation, of whom 71 were scanned in the supine position and 25 were scanned in the prone position. Electron beam tomography was performed twice after contrast medium injection to obtain early- and late-phase images.


RESULTS
Filling defects were detected in 13 patients in the supine position by EBT. Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) revealed a thrombus in the region of the filling defect in 9 patients. In 4 patients, filling defects in the left atrial appendage were not confirmed as thrombi by TEE. Filling defects were detected in 4 patients in the prone position, all of which were confirmed as thrombi by TEE.


CONCLUSIONS
Electron beam tomography in the prone position is an effective technique for reducing false-positive results in the detection of atrial thrombi.
Tani
Tomomitsu
T
Department of Cardiology, Aichi Prefectural Owari Hospital Cardiovascular Center, Ichinomiya-shi, Japan. QZB06131@nifty.ne.jp
Yamakami
Shoji
S
Matsushita
Toyoaki
T
Okamoto
Mitsuhiro
M
Toyama
Junji
J
Suzuki
Shogo
S
Fukutomi
Tatsuya
T
Itoh
Makoto
M
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000150:complications*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003287:Contrast Media; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D005260:Female; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D007479:Iopamidol; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016684:Prone Position; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D003287:Contrast Media; D007479:Iopamidol