Abstract #0425

Exploration for Novel Markers of Left Atrial Disease and Thrombo-embolic Risk in Patients with Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation Using 4D Flow MRI

Julio Garcia^1,2, Michael S Bristow^2,3, Carmen Lydell^2,4, Andrew G Howarth^2,3, Bobby Heydari^2,3, Frank S Prato⁵, Maria Drangova⁵, Rebecca Thornhill⁶, Pablo Nery⁷, Stephen Wilton², Allan Skanes⁸, and James White^2,3

¹Department of Cardiac Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada, ²Stephenson Cardiac Imaging Centre, Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta, Calgary, AB, Canada, ³Department of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada, ⁴Diagnostic Imaging, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada, ⁵Medical Imaging, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada, ⁶Diagnostic Imaging, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON, Canada, ⁷Electrophysiology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada, ⁸Department of Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada

This study may be of interest for clinicians and clinical researchers who study or measure left atrial blood flow. This pilot study demonstrates that: 1) 4D flow imaging of LA inflow and vortex formation is clinically feasible, 2) Significant differences in LA flow can be identified in patients with paroxysmal AF versus healthy controls; 3) Asymmetry of pulmonary vein inflow was observed in this population and may be contributory to (or as a result of) alterations in LA vortical flow, and 4) Vortical flow is fractionated in patients with a history of paroxysmal AF. These early observations seed interest for LA 4D flow as a marker of early or established left atrial disease and may provide value for the prediction of thrombo-embolic events.

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