Identifying left atrium and left atrial appendage prone to thrombus formation in patients with atrial fibrillation using statistical shape modeling

• Published in: International journal of cardiology 2025-02, Vol.420, p.132731, Article 132731
• Main Authors: Xu, Buyun, Wang, Yan, Zhao, Chengchen, Yu, Zhangjie, Luo, Kun, Xie, Yao, Xiang, Meixiang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Atrial Appendage - diagnostic imaging; Atrial Appendage - physiopathology; Atrial fibrillation; Atrial Fibrillation - diagnostic imaging; Atrial Fibrillation - physiopathology; Case-Control Studies; Computed Tomography Angiography - methods; Female; Heart Atria - diagnostic imaging; Heart Atria - physiopathology; Humans; Left atrial appendage; Male; Middle Aged; Models, Statistical; Retrospective Studies; Risk Assessment - methods; Statistical shape modeling; Thrombosis; Thrombosis - diagnostic imaging; Thrombosis - etiology
• ISSN: 0167-5273; 1874-1754; 1874-1754
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijcard.2024.132731

The morphology of the left atrium (LA) and left atrial appendage (LAA) is associated with LAA thrombus formation (LAAT) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Statistical shape modeling (SSM) could be a comprehensive and objective method for evaluating LA/LAA shape, thereby improving LAAT risk assessment. In this individual-matched case-control study, 110 pairs of AF patients with or without LAAT were compared. Using SSM of cardiac computed tomography angiography images, we developed a LA/LAA shape deformation score (LADS). LADS was significantly higher in the LAAT group (4.0 ± 5.0 vs. -4.0 ± 6.5, P