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Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy
Published in: Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy 7/2019

Open Access 01-07-2019 | Computed Tomography | Original Article

Morphology and morphometry of pulmonary veins and the left atrium in multi-slice computed tomography

Authors: Mateusz Polaczek, Pawel Szaro, Inga Baranska, Barbara Burakowska, Bogdan Ciszek

Published in: Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy | Issue 7/2019

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Abstract

Purpose

Pulmonary veins are involved in pathogenesis and treatment of atrial fibrillation and structures at risk during thoracic surgeries. There is lack of data regarding pulmonary vein morphology and morphometry in normal population.

Methods

The study was conducted using 135 chest computed tomography studies with intra-venous iodine contrast injection. The study population contained 86 females and 49 males, mean age was 60. 13 had atrial fibrillation.
The studies were analyzed using radiological workstation.

Results

Mean dimensions of the left atrium: transverse 52 mm, coronal 49 mm, and sagittal 35 mm. The mean volume of the left atrium was 93 cm3. The mean volume of the left atrium in patients with atrial fibrillation was 176 cm3. The sagittal dimension and the volume of the left atrium were correlated with age, r = 0.43 and r = 0.42, respectively. Surface area of the left inferior pulmonary vein ostium was 136 mm2, significantly less than the surface area of other ostia of pulmonary veins. The mean distance between two pulmonary veins was 5.42 mm on the right and 4.02 mm on the left side. 13 types of pulmonary veins outflow patterns were described on the right side and 5 types on the left side. 66.7% of right pulmonary veins and 82% of the left pulmonary veins emptied into the left atrium with two venous trunks on each side (the typical pattern).

Conclusions

Morphological features of pulmonary veins and morphometry of the left atrium and pulmonary veins are important for clinical purposes and are in accordance with previous papers.
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Metadata
Title
Morphology and morphometry of pulmonary veins and the left atrium in multi-slice computed tomography
Authors
Mateusz Polaczek
Pawel Szaro
Inga Baranska
Barbara Burakowska
Bogdan Ciszek
Publication date
01-07-2019
Publisher
Springer Paris
Published in
Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy / Issue 7/2019
Print ISSN: 0930-1038
Electronic ISSN: 1279-8517
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-019-02210-1

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