The incidence of left atrial diverticula in coronary CT angiography.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to characterize the frequency and location of left atrial diverticula by using multidetector computed tomography (MDCT).


METHODS
Cardiac imaging was performed for 454 patients using 64MDCT. Most patients were being examined for coronary artery disease. All images were interpreted by two radiologists on a three-dimensional workstation using multiplanar reformatting, maximum intensity projection, and volumerendering. Diverticula were characterized by localization and diameter.


RESULTS
A total of 207 atrial diverticula were diagnosed in 186 (41%) of the 454 patients in this study. The diameters of left atrial diverticula ranged from 2 mm to 16 mm, with an average diameter of 5.2 mm. Left atrial diverticula were located anterosuperiorly in 166 patients (36.6%), anteriorly in four patients (0.9%), anteroinferiorly in three patients (0.7%), inferolaterally in one patient (0.2%), inferomedially in two patients (0.4%), laterally in two patients (0.4%), posterosuperiorly in one patient (0.2%), and superiorly in seven patients (1.5%).


CONCLUSIONS
Left atrial diverticula are frequently detected during routine cardiac computed tomography angiography examinations. From the Departments of Radiology, and Cardiology, GATA Haydarpasa Teaching Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey.
Department of Radiology, GATA Haydarpasa Teaching Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey. m_incedayi@yahoo.com
Mehmet
M
Incedayi
Ersin
E
Öztürk
Güner
G
Sonmez
Muzaffer
M
Sağlam
Ali Kemal
AK
Sivrioğlu
Hakan
H
Mutlu
Zafer
Z
Işilak
Çinar
Ç
Başekim
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003287:Contrast Media; D017023:Coronary Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004240:Diverticulum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods; D015994:Incidence; D007472:Iohexol; D007479:Iopamidol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061330:Multidetector Computed Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D015588:Observer Variation; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
D003287:Contrast Media; C057937:iomeprol; D007472:Iohexol; D007479:Iopamidol