Quantification of the left atrium applying cardiovascular magnetic resonance in clinical routine

<i>Objectives.</i> In recent years the impact of the left atrium (LA) has become more evident in different cardiovascular pathologies. We aim to provide LA parameters in healthy volunteers for cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) using a fast approach. <i>Design.</i> We analyzed 203 healthy volunteers (mean age 44.6 years (y), range 19y–76y) at 1.5 and 3.0 Tesla (T) using steady-state free precession (SSFP) cine in routine long axis view. Left atrial enddiastolic volume (LA-EDV), endsystolic volume (LA-ESV), stroke volume (LA-SV) and ejection fraction (LA-EF) were quantified and indexed to body-surface-area (BSA). Dependency on age and sex was analyzed. <i>Results.</i> 21 subjects had to be excluded. In the remaining, there was no significant difference between 1.5 T and 3.0 T. Absolut LA-EDV and LA-ESV were larger in men than in women (LA-EDV: male 70 ± 19 ml vs. female 61 ± 16 ml (<i>p</i> = .001); LA-ESV: male 24 ± 9 ml vs. female 21 ± 8 ml (<i>p</i> = .01)). These differences disappeared after indexing to BSA (LA-EDV/BSA: male 34 ± 10 ml/m² vs. female 33 ± 9 ml/m² (<i>p</i> = .65) and LA-ESV/BSA: male 12 ± 4 ml/m² vs. female 11 ± 4 ml/m² (<i>p</i> = .71)). LA-EDV/BSA decreased with older age. <i>Conclusions.</i> Reference values for LA size and function based on a fast approach are provided. LA size decreases with older age. Normalization to body size overcomes sex-dependency. Reports should be related to body size.

<i>研究目标</i>。近年来，左心房（left atrium, LA）在多种心血管病理状态中的作用愈发显著。本研究旨在通过快速成像方案，为健康志愿者建立心血管磁共振（cardiovascular magnetic resonance, CMR）检查中的左心房参数参考值。
<i>研究设计</i>。本研究纳入203名健康志愿者，平均年龄44.6岁，年龄范围为19岁至76岁，分别采用1.5T与3.0T磁共振扫描仪，以稳态自由进动（steady-state free precession, SSFP）电影序列行常规长轴位成像。对左心房舒张末期容积（LA-EDV）、收缩末期容积（LA-ESV）、每搏输出量（LA-SV）及射血分数（LA-EF）进行定量测定，并以体表面积（body-surface-area, BSA）进行校正。同时分析年龄与性别对上述参数的影响。
<i>研究结果</i>。本研究共排除21名受试者，剩余受试者的扫描结果在1.5T与3.0T扫描仪间无显著差异。男性的绝对LA-EDV及LA-ESV均高于女性（LA-EDV：男性70±19 ml vs. 女性61±16 ml，<i>p</i> = .001；LA-ESV：男性24±9 ml vs. 女性21±8 ml，<i>p</i> = .01）。经体表面积校正后，上述性别差异不复存在（LA-EDV/BSA：男性34±10 ml/m² vs. 女性33±9 ml/m²，<i>p</i> = .65；LA-ESV/BSA：男性12±4 ml/m² vs. 女性11±4 ml/m²，<i>p</i> = .71）。LA-EDV/BSA随年龄增长而降低。
<i>研究结论</i>。本研究通过快速成像方法建立了左心房大小与功能的参考值范围。左心房大小随年龄增长而减小。以体表面积进行归一化可消除性别相关差异，因此相关报告应结合体表面积进行解读。