ECG non-gated multi-detector computed tomography protocol prior to catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation provides sufficient data quality with lower radiation exposure compared to ECG-gated protocol - results of a prospective, randomized and blinded study

Zbynek Tudos; Tomas Skala; Martin Homola; Ondrej Moravec; Milos Taborsky; Martin Kocher; Marie Cerna; Filip Ctvrtlik; Frantisek Odstrcil; Katerina Langova; Olga Klementova

doi:10.5507/bp.2018.045

ECG non-gated multi-detector computed tomography protocol prior to catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation provides sufficient data quality with lower radiation exposure compared to ECG-gated protocol - results of a prospective, randomized and blinded study

Biomed Pap Med Fac Univ Palacky Olomouc Czech Repub. 2018 Aug 28. doi: 10.5507/bp.2018.045. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University Olomouc and University Hospital Olomouc, Czech Republic.
² Department of Internal Medicine I - Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University Olomouc and University Hospital Olomouc, Czech Republic.
³ Department of Medical Physics and Radiation Protection, University Hospital Olomouc, Czech Republic.
⁴ Department of Radiological Methods, Faculty of Health Sciences, Palacky University Olomouc, Czech Republic.
⁵ Department of Medical Biophysics, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University Olomouc, Czech Republic.
⁶ Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University Olomouc and University Hospital Olomouc, Czech Republic.

PMID: 30181665
DOI: 10.5507/bp.2018.045

Abstract

Background: The role of ECG-gating in left atrium (LA) computed tomography (MDCT) imaging is not precisely defined.

Methods and results: 62 patients were randomized according to ECG gating with prospective evaluation of image quality, Volume CT Dose Index, Dose Length Product, Effective Dose and registration error between anatomical map and MDCT. We found significant difference in all radiation variables, but not in visual quality, registration error, CA duration, CA fluoroscopy time and CA fluoroscopy dose.

Conclusion: Helical non-gated MDCT achieved a radiation dose more than four times lower with comparable image quality and course of ablation compared to ECG-gated protocol.