title: Distance between the Left Atrial Appendage and Mitral Annulus Evaluated by CARTO 3 Integrated Computed Tomography Imaging.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To measure distances between pulmonary veins (PV) and mitral annulus (MA) using angiographic computed tomography (CT) and to compare them with the left atrial appendage-MA (LAA-MA) line.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from 46 catheter ablation procedures for atrial fibrillation involving 36 males, mean age 53 years, range 27-78 years, were analyzed. Three types of mitral isthmus lines were measured using angiographic CT images integrated in the CARTO 3 system (Biosense Webster): the distance between the right superior PV and MA (RSPV-MA), the right inferior PV and MA (RIPV-MA), and the left inferior PV and MA (LIPV-MA). They were compared with the length of the LAA-MA line.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean value of LIPV-MA was 29 ± 11.2 mm, RIPV-MA 39 ± 8.2 mm, and RSPV-MA 48 ± 8.2 mm. The circumflex artery (CxA) and the coronary sinus (CS) were closest to the LIPV-MA line. Compared with the three isthmus lines, the LAA-MA was the shortest (24.7 ± 15.6 mm), and the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The angiographic CT provided detailed information regarding the anatomy of the left atrium and distances between atrial structures. The LAA-MA was shorter than the other three lines with the CxA and CS situated at a distance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Rehabilitation Hospital, luj-Napoca, Romania.
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cismaru
authors.forename: Radu
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rosu
authors.forename: Nihal
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: El Kamar
authors.forename: Lucian
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Muresan
authors.forename: Mihai
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Puiu
authors.forename: Marius
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Andronache
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Puie
authors.forename: Roxana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Matuz
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gusetu
authors.forename: Dana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pop
authors.forename: Petru Adrian
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Mircea
authors.forename: Dumitru
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zdrenghea
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D020517:Atrial Appendage / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000601:surgery*; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011667:Pulmonary Veins / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed