April Image of the Month

YOU BE THE ANATOMIST!

What important anatomical structure has been highlighted here, and employing what imaging modality?

ANSWER

The left atrial appendage (LAA) in a canine heart!

This image was acquired using our 64-slice gated CT scanner with 3mensio 3D reconstruction software.

The LAA has been identified as a source of blood clots leading to thromboembolic stroke.

Technologies to occlude, isolate or ablate the LAA have been developed, and CT scan is the best way to have a complete 3D assessment of the LAA before any such interventional or surgical procedure.

Canines are known to be the only preclinical model to have a left atrial appendage resembling that in the human heart.