Adenosine-induced ventricular asystole or rapid ventricular pacing to enhance three-dimensional rotational imaging during cardiac ablation procedures

Abstract

Aims Rotational angiography with digital three-dimensional reconstruction (3DRA) allows per-procedural 3D imaging to facilitate cardiac ablation procedures. We developed a new approach that allows per-procedural 3D imaging of the atria and ventricles with a single C-arm rotation, combining higher 3D image quality with a lower contrast and radiation dose.Methods and resultsForty patients underwent 3DRA of the left atrium (LA, n = 26), right atrium (RA, n = 11), left ventricle (LV, n = 2), or right ventricle (RV, n = 1) during ablation procedures performed under general anaesthesia. Contrast agent (60 ± 12 mL) was diluted and injected directly in the chamber of interest, during adenosine-induced ventricular asystole (n = 31) or rapid RV pacing (n = 9, atrial imaging only) to reduce cardiac motion artefacts and enhance contrast opacification during rotational imaging. Reconstructed 3D data sets were graded according to predefined quality criteria (n = 40) and quantitatively compared with cardiac computed tomography (CT) (LA, n = 14). Adenosine-induced ventricular asystole and rapid pacing both allowed a sustained and homogeneous contrast opacification of target cardiac chambers, resulting in useful 3D data sets in 39 of 40 (98) patients. Moreover, it was possible to achieve 'good' or 'optimal' 3D image quality in the majority of patients (adenosine: 61, pacing 78, P = 0.69). When compared with rapid pacing, the total elimination of cardiac motion artefacts with adenosine more frequently resulted in 'optimal' 3D image quality (42 vs. 11, P = 0.01) and added the possibility for single-rotation 3D imaging of the ventricles. Quantitative analysis showed an excellent agreement between pulmonary vein diameters measured on cardiac CT and 3DRA images. Integration of 3DRA-based LA surfaces with real-time fluoroscopy was easy and highly accurate.ConclusionAdenosine-induced ventricular asystole or rapid ventricular pacing allow acquisition of 3DRA with an excellent direct contrast opacification of any cardiac chamber and a reduction of cardiac motion artefacts, resulting in high-quality per-procedural 3D imaging with a single C-arm rotation.