Journal of Arrhythmia (Apr 2015)

Visualizing radiofrequency lesions using delayed-enhancement magnetic resonance imaging in patients with atrial fibrillation: A modification of the method used by the University of Utah group

  • Kunihiko Kiuchi, MD,
  • Katsunori Okajima, MD,
  • Akira Shimane, MD,
  • Kiminobu Yokoi, MD,
  • Jin Teranishi, MD,
  • Kousuke Aoki, MD,
  • Misato Chimura, MD,
  • Hideo Tsubata, MD,
  • Taishi Miyata, MD,
  • Yuuki Matsuoka, MD,
  • Takayoshi Toba, MD,
  • Shogo Ohishi, MD,
  • Takahiro Sawada, MD,
  • Yasue Tsukishiro, MD,
  • Tetsuari Onishi, MD,
  • Seiichi Kobayashi, MD,
  • Shinichiro Yamada, MD,
  • Yasuyo Taniguchi, MD,
  • Yoshinori Yasaka, MD,
  • Hiroya Kawai, MD,
  • Kazushi Ikeuchi, RT,
  • Yutaka Shigenaga, RT,
  • Takayuki Ikeda, RT

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joa.2014.06.005
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 31, no. 2
pp. 71 – 75

Abstract

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Background: Atrial tissue fibrosis has previously been identified using delayed-enhancement MRI (DE-MRI) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Although the clinical importance of DE-MRI is well recognized, the visualization of atrial fibrosis and radiofrequency (RF) lesions has still not been achieved in Japan, primarily because of the differences in contrast agents, volume-rendering tools, and technical experience. The objective of this study was to visualize RF lesions by using commercially available tools. Methods: DE-MRI was performed in 15 patients who had undergone AF ablation (age, 59±4 years, left atrium diameter, 40±2 mm). Specific parameters for MR scanning obtained from previous reports were modified. Results: Of the 15 images, the images of three patients were uninterpretable owing to low image quality. RF lesions could be visualized in 8 (67%) of the 12 patients. Conclusions: In the current study, we successfully demonstrated that RF lesions could be visualized in Japanese patients using DE-MRI, although only commercially available tools were used.

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