Residual contrast material in the LAA
Of the 300 patients, 48 (16%) showed residual contrast medium in the
LAA during late-pCT (Figures 1B, 2B, and 2C). Table 3 presents the
results of the comparison of the clinical features of the patients with
and without residual contrast material in the LAA during late-pCT. There
was no significant difference in the distribution of the LAA morphology
types between the groups. The presence of residual contrast was
significantly associated with a higher CHAD2S2-VASc
score, an enlarged left atrial diameter, a decreased left ventricular
ejection fraction, an increased brain natriuretic peptide level, and the
presence of CDs, as detected on early or late-pCT. In addition, the
blood velocity in the LAA during AF was much lower in the group with
residual contrast medium.
Figure 4 shows the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve
analysis of the LAA emptying velocity and its influence on residual
contrast medium in the LAA. The presence of residual contrast medium in
the LAA suggested a reduced blood velocity ≤ 15.0 cm/s in the LAA, as
estimated on ICE performed from the LA.