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.