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Sixteen multidetector row computed tomography of pulmonary veins: 3-months’ follow-up after treatment of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation with cryothermal ablation

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Abstract

The aim of the study was to assess pulmonary veins (PVs) for the presence of stenosis 3 months after cryothermal ablation (CA) with a new method of electrical isolation of PVs using contrast-enhanced 16 multidetector row computed tomography (MDCT). Twenty four patients with symptomatic atrial fibrillation underwent CA in 46 PVs. MDCT of PVs was performed before the treatment and after 3-months’ follow-up. Following cryoablation, 13/24 (54%) patients showed clinical improvement and had reduced attacks of atrial fibrillation. The dimensions of the treated PVs remained unchanged: the coronal ostial diameter was 19.1±2.4 preprocedural versus 18.6±2.4 mm at follow-up, p>0.05; the ratio of the coronal and axial diameters at the ostium was 1.2±0.2 versus 1.2±0.1, p>0.05, respectively, and the coronal diameter of the proximal 10 mm was 17.1±2.5 mm versus 16.5±2.2 mm, p>0.05, respectively. CA is a promising technique for electrical isolation of PVs that has not been associated with stenosis at the orifice and the proximal 10 mm of the PVs after 3-months’ follow-up. MDCT is a noninvasive, fast and comfortable method for assessment of PVs in a three-dimensional manner prior to ablative treatment and during the follow-up.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, Erasmus Medical Center, 40, Doctor Molewaterplein, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    Ružica Maksimović, Filippo Cademartiri & Peter M. T. Pattynama

  2. Department of Cardiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    Marcoen F. Scholten & Luc J. Jordaens

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  1. Ružica Maksimović
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  2. Marcoen F. Scholten
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  3. Filippo Cademartiri
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  4. Luc J. Jordaens
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  5. Peter M. T. Pattynama
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Correspondence to Ružica Maksimović.

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Maksimović, R., Scholten, M.F., Cademartiri, F. et al. Sixteen multidetector row computed tomography of pulmonary veins: 3-months’ follow-up after treatment of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation with cryothermal ablation. Eur Radiol 15, 1122–1127 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-005-2696-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-005-2696-y

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