The incidence of left atrial diverticula in coronary CT angiography

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study was to characterize the frequency and location of left atrial diverticula by using multidetector computed tomography (MDCT).

Materials and methods: Cardiac imaging was performed for 454 patients using 64MDCT. Most patients were being examined for coronary artery disease. All images were interpreted by two radiologists on a three-dimensional workstation using multiplanar reformatting, maximum intensity projection, and volumerendering. Diverticula were characterized by localization and diameter.

Results: A total of 207 atrial diverticula were diagnosed in 186 (41%) of the 454 patients in this study. The diameters of left atrial diverticula ranged from 2 mm to 16 mm, with an average diameter of 5.2 mm. Left atrial diverticula were located anterosuperiorly in 166 patients (36.6%), anteriorly in four patients (0.9%), anteroinferiorly in three patients (0.7%), inferolaterally in one patient (0.2%), inferomedially in two patients (0.4%), laterally in two patients (0.4%), posterosuperiorly in one patient (0.2%), and superiorly in seven patients (1.5%).

Conclusion: Left atrial diverticula are frequently detected during routine cardiac computed tomography angiography examinations. From the Departments of Radiology, and Cardiology, GATA Haydarpasa Teaching Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey.