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Review
. 2022 Aug 5;12(8):1898.
doi: 10.3390/diagnostics12081898.

Assessment of Left Atrial Structure and Function by Echocardiography in Atrial Fibrillation

Mengmeng Ji  1   2   3 , Lin He  1   2   3 , Lang Gao  1   2   3 , Yixia Lin  1   2   3 , Mingxing Xie  1   2   3   4   5 , Yuman Li  1   2   3
Affiliations
Review

Assessment of Left Atrial Structure and Function by Echocardiography in Atrial Fibrillation

Mengmeng Ji et al. Diagnostics (Basel). .

Abstract

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia with significant morbidity and mortality. Exacerbated by the aging population, the prevalence of AF is gradually increasing. Accurate evaluation of structure and function of left atrium (LA) has important prognostic significance in patients with AF. Echocardiography is the imaging technique of first choice to assess LA structure and function due to its better availability, accessibility and safety over cardiac computed tomography and cardiac magnetic resonance. Therefore, the aim of this review is to summarize the recent research progress of evaluating LA size by three-dimensional echocardiography and LA function by speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) in predicting the occurrence and recurrence of AF and determining the risk of stroke in AF. In addition, we summarized the role of traditional echocardiography in detecting AF patients that are at high risk of heart failure or cardiovascular death.

Keywords: atrial fibrillation; echocardiography; left atrium structure and function; speckle tracking echocardiography; three-dimensional echocardiography.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Representative measurements of LAV by three-dimensional echocardiography. Standard apical four-chamber view images of 20 consecutive cardiac cycles were stored, and LAV was measured in one of the cardiac cycles. (A) Reference points setting, LA endocardial border tracking and acquisition of 3D LAV curve in a subject with sinus rhythm; (B) Reference points setting, LA endocardial border tracking and acquisition of 3D LAV curve in a subject with AF.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Representative measurements of LA strain by two-dimensional echocardiography. Standard apical four-chamber view images of 20 consecutive cardiac cycles were stored, and LA strain was measured in one of the cardiac cycles. (A) LASr and LASct in a subject with sinus rhythm; (B) LASr and LASct in a subject with AF.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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