Background: Left atrial (LA) volumes have been shown to be of prognostic value regarding prognosis
and risk stratifications of various heart diseases. Real-time 3D-echocardiography
(RT3DE) is a promising non-invasive method to asses LA volumes. However, RT3DE reference
values for in European children are lacking.
Methods: In a multicenter prospective study, in 218 healthy children and adolescents aged
1.5–256 months, RT3DE of the LA was performed (i.e., 33, Philips; Vivid 7, GE). LA
volumes were assessed using TomTec-Imaging Systems Version 4.6.3.9 (4D LV-Function).
Percentiles for maximal and minimal LA volumes were created using the LMS method.
For estimation of accuracy, a pulsatile balloon phantom, mimicking the volume changes
in the left atrium, underwent volume assessment by the same software, using 5 different
maximal and minimal volumes (5–17 mL, rate: 120 bpm).1
Results: Percentiles for boys and girls of maximal and minimal LA volumes could be assessed
by RT3DE. Agreement between the actual volumes of the phantom balloons and the volumes
assessed by TomTec was good with a small mean bias of 0.27 mL and good limits of agreement
of -1.97–2.51 mL.
Conclusion: RT3DE is a potential non-invasive method for echocardiographic assessment of LA volumes.
By providing percentiles for LA volumes assessed by RT3DE this method can be of use
in clinical practice and research. As an outlook we will analyze the data of more
healthy children, allowing for reference values based on an even bigger sample for
future use. Moreover we intend to do a comparison to LA volumes assessed by magnetic
resonance imaging. This study was funded by Fördergemeinschaft Deutsche Kinderherzzentren.
