title: CT imaging of complications of catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation.
abstract: The complication rate following radiofrequency catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation is low (<5%). Complications include pericardial effusion, cardiac tamponade, pulmonary vein stenosis, oesophageal ulceration or perforation, atrio-oesophageal fistula formation, stroke/transient ischaemic attack, phrenic nerve injury, haematoma at the puncture site, and femoral arteriovenous fistula. Among available imaging tools, computed tomography (CT) can be very useful in diagnosing complications of the procedure, particularly in the subacute and delayed stages after ablation. This review illustrates CT imaging of several of the common and uncommon complications of radiofrequency catheter ablation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Imaging, The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, Houston, TX, USA. Electronic address: girish.s.shroff@uth.tmc.edu.
authors.forename: G S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Shroff
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Imaging, The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Guirguis
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Imaging, The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: E C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Ferguson
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Imaging, The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: S A A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Oldham
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: B K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Kantharia
mesh_terms: D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000601:surgery*; D017115:Catheter Ablation; D006801:Humans; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*