Late‐gadolinium enhancement properties associated with atrial fibrillation rotors in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation

Background A computational model demonstrated that atrial fibrillation (AF) rotors could be distributed in patchy late-gadolinium enhancement (LGE) areas and play an important role in AF drivers. However, this was not validated in humans. Objective The purpose of this study was to evaluate the LGE area properties of AF rotors in patients with persistent AF. Methods A total of 287 segments in 15 patients with persistent AF (longstanding persistent AF in 9 patients) that underwent AF ablation were assessed. Non-passively activated areas (NPAs), where rotational activation (AF rotor) was frequently observed, were detected by the novel real-time phase mapping (ExTRa Mapping). The properties of the LGE areas were assessed using the LGE heterogeneity, and the density was assessed by the entropy (LGE-entropy) and volume ratio of the enhancement voxel (LGE-volume ratio), respectively. Results NPAs were found in 61 (21%) of 287 segments and were mostly found around the pulmonary vein antrum. A receiver operating characteristic curve analysis yielded an optimal cutoff value of 5.7 and 10% for the LGE-entropy and LGE-volume ratio, respectively. The incidence of NPAs was significantly higher at segments with an LGE-entropy of >5.7 and LGE-volume ratio of >10% than at the other segments (38 [30%] of 126 vs. 23 [14%] of 161 segments, p = 0.001). No NPAs were found at segments with an LGE-volume ratio of >50% regardless of the LGE-entropy. Of 5 patients with AF recurrence, NPAs outside the PV antrum were not ablated in 3 patients and the remaining NPAs were ablated, but their LGE-entropy and LGE-volume ratio were low. Conclusion AF rotors are mostly distributed in relatively weak and much more heterogenous LGE areas. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.