title: Prevalence and clinical significance of collateral findings detected by chest computed tomography in patients undergoing atrial fibrillation ablation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Chest computed tomography (CT) scanning is increasingly used as an imaging technique in patients undergoing atrial fibrillation (AF) catheter ablation. Chest CT scans visualize organs other than the heart and collateral findings may be identified incidentally. Our study aims to assess the prevalence and clinical relevance of such collateral findings in patients undergoing AF ablation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred and seventy-three patients (127 males, age 59 ± 10 years) underwent chest CT scan for image integration in AF ablation. Collateral findings from visualized thoracic and upper abdominal organs were collected. Findings that required further investigations or treatment according to current guidelines were considered as clinically significant. A total of 164 collateral findings were identified in 97 (56%) patients, and most patients showed abnormalities of the lungs (67 patients, 39%). Forty-nine (28%) patients had clinically significant findings needing further investigation and 17 (10%) of them required specific treatments, including three cases (1.7 %) of lung malignancy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Chest CT images acquired for integration in AF ablation should be read thoroughly as they may serve as a screening tool for otherwise unrecognized clinically significant conditions of the heart, lungs, or other visualized organs.
authors.affiliation: Cardiac Arrhythmia Research Centre, Centro Cardiologico Monzino IRCCS, Milan, Italy. michela.casella@ccfm.it
authors.forename: Michela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Casella
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Perna
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pontone
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dello Russo
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Andreini
authors.forename: Gemma
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pelargonio
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Riva
authors.forename: Gaetano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fassini
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pepi
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ballerini
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moltrasio
authors.forename: Benedetta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Majocchi
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bartoletti
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Formenti
authors.forename: Pasquale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Santangeli
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Di Biase
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Natale
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tondo
mesh_terms: D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000601:surgery*; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*