Optimal Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Contrast-Enhanced Timing Robust Angiography (CMR-CENTRA) for the Three-Dimensional Reconstruction of the Bilateral Atria in the Electroanatomic Mapping (EAM) of Atrial Fibrillation

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To optimize the timing of scans using cardiac magnetic resonance contrast-enhanced timing robust angiography (CMR-CENTRA) for electroanatomic mapping (EAM) of the right atrium (RA) and left atrium (LA) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty patients with AF (38 men; mean age, 59.6 ± 9.3 years) underwent CMR-CENTRA in preparation for EAM. The CMR-CENTRA data were acquired at five different scan times 0 seconds, 5 seconds, 10 seconds, 15 seconds, and 20 seconds after an intravenous injection of contrast media. To evaluate the degree of contrast enhancement, right atrial relative contrast (RA-RC) and left atrial relative contrast (LA-RC) on the CMR-CENTRA scans were assessed at each time point. The three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of the RA and LA for the EAM system was performed using the CMR-CENTRA data. RESULTS: A CMR-CENTRA at a scan time of 10 seconds showed significantly greater LA-RC (P < 0.05) compared with all other scan times. A CMR-CENTRA at a scan time of 15 seconds showed significantly greater RA-RC (P < 0.05) compared with all other scan times. In the 3D reconstruction of the RA, the success rates of CMR-CENTRA at scan times of 10 seconds and 15 seconds were 18% and 100%, respectively. In the 3D reconstruction of the LA, the success rates of CMR-CENTRA at 10- and 15-second scan times were 100%. CONCLUSION: The CMR-CENTRA data acquired at 15 seconds after the injection of contrast media is appropriate for the preparation of an EAM system that is focused on the RA and LA in patients with AF.