title: Comparison of clinical outcomes and safety of catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation supported by data from CT scan or three-dimensional rotational angiogram of left atrium and pulmonary veins.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Catheter ablation in the left atrium has become a common therapeutic strategy in the management of atrial fibrillation (AF). The high degree of success and safety profile of this procedure is dependent on precise knowledge of the true anatomy in the chamber. This information is imported mostly from cardiac computed tomography. A novel method for imaging the left atrial anatomy is three-dimensional rotational angiography (3DRA).
  
  
  METHODS
  The aim of our study was to the compare clinical outcome and safety of catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation guided by 3DRA vs. conventional CT scan. One hundred and twenty-five patients referred for AF catheter ablation at St. Anne's University Hospital Brno were included in the retrospective analysis of clinical outcome within the first year after the procedure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a close correlation in overall procedural parameters between the groups. The frequency of recurrent episodes of AF (24% in CT-guided group vs. 27% in 3DRA-guided group, P=0.721) as well as the onset of atypical atrial flutter after the procedure (10% vs. 8%, respectively, P=0.731) were similar in both groups. No difference in the number of patients necessitating repeat ablation (5% vs. 5%, P=0.984) was found. Procedural complications of ablations guided by 3DRA were comparable with those guided by CT (2% vs. 3%, respectively, P=0.568).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  3DRA has proven to be a safe and simple method for imaging the left atrium and guiding catheter ablation for AF. This approach is anticipated to become a new standard in 3D reconstruction of the left atrium.
authors.affiliation: International Clinical Research Center, Department of Cardiovascular Disease, St. Anne's University Hospital in Brno and Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Frantisek
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lehar
authors.affiliation: International Clinical Research Center, Department of Cardiovascular Disease, St. Anne's University Hospital in Brno and Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Zdenek
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Starek
authors.affiliation: International Clinical Research Center, Department of Cardiovascular Disease, St. Anne's University Hospital in Brno and Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Jiri
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jez
authors.affiliation: International Clinical Research Center, Department of Cardiovascular Disease, St. Anne's University Hospital in Brno and Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Miroslav
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Novak
authors.affiliation: International Clinical Research Center, Department of Cardiovascular Disease, St. Anne's University Hospital in Brno and Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Jiri
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wolf
authors.affiliation: International Clinical Research Center, Department of Cardiovascular Disease, St. Anne's University Hospital in Brno and Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Radka
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stepanova
authors.affiliation: International Clinical Research Center, Department of Cardiovascular Disease, St. Anne's University Hospital in Brno and Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kruzliak
authors.affiliation: International Clinical Research Center, Department of Cardiovascular Disease, St. Anne's University Hospital in Brno and Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Tomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kulik
authors.affiliation: International Clinical Research Center, Department of Cardiovascular Disease, St. Anne's University Hospital in Brno and Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Alena
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zbankova
authors.affiliation: International Clinical Research Center, Department of Cardiovascular Disease, St. Anne's University Hospital in Brno and Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Radek
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jancar
authors.affiliation: International Clinical Research Center, Department of Cardiovascular Disease, St. Anne's University Hospital in Brno and Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Jiri
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vitovec
mesh_terms: D000792:Angiography / Q000379:methods; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061646:Operative Time; D011667:Pulmonary Veins / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D015641:Radiography, Interventional / Q000379:methods; D012008:Recurrence; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: atrial fibrillation; catheter ablation; computed tomography; electrophysiology; imaging; left atrium; three dimensional rotational atriography