Dual Inversion Recovery Pre-Pulse Differentiates Contrast Uptake from Oedema in Late Gadolinium Enhancement Imaging of the Atrial Wall After Radiofrequency Ablation

Sarah Anne Peel¹, Aruna Arujuna¹, Reza Razavi¹, Kawal Rhode¹, Jaswinder Gill¹, Tobias Schaeffter¹, Rene Botnar¹

Pulmonary vein isolation using RF ablation is an established treatment for patients with atrial fibrillation. Late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) imaging can be performed acutely after ablation using the inversion recovery (IR) pre-pulse. However, the IR pre-pulse generates high signal from areas of oedema as well as contrast uptake. In this study, we showed that the dual-IR pre-pulse only generates high signal from areas of contrast uptake whilst suppressing the signal from fluid and normal atrial wall. This may help differentiate contrast uptake from oedema in LGE imaging to visualize acute damage caused by RF ablation.