Transesophageal Echocardiography for the Diagnosis of Left Atrial Thrombus

Ahmet NARİN, Saide AYTEKİN, Ilhan ÖZTEKİN, Gülşah TAYYARECİ, Dursun Ünal, Kemal YEŞİLÇİMEN

İstanbul Göğüs Kalp-Damar Cerrahisi Merkezi, İstanbul

The aim of this study is to evaluate the values of transthoracic (TTE) and transesophageal (TEE) echocardiography in the diagnosis of left atrial throm uygulandı bus (LAT). 70 patients (Pts) with rheumatic mitral velave disease were examined by both TTE and TEE. The mean age of the patients were 32 years from 14 to 56 years.
AT was determined in 6 (%8.5) of 70 patients by TTE and in 12 patients (%17) by TEE. 20 patients underwent open heart surgery. LAT was found in 5 of the first and in 11 of the latter group during surgery. In one patient in whom LAT was detected by both TTE and TEE, but it was not confirned by surgery. The sensitivity was %42 for TTE and %92 for TEE, specificity was %88 for both, for diagnosis of LAT.
In conclusion TEE was found to be a more sensitive diagnostic tool for the diagnosis of LAT than TTE.

Viewed : 10899

Downloaded : 2733