Novel imaging techniques of the esophagus enhancing safety of left atrial ablation.

This report describes different imaging techniques of the esophagus in four patients during radiofrequency catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation in the left atrium. A novel use of a mixture of barium cream and gadolinium diglutamate allowed esophageal imaging during magnetic resonance angiography of the left atrium and pulmonary veins. Barium cream used during computer tomography angiographic imaging of the left atrium and pulmonary veins allowed esophageal imaging. The esophagus was also imaged with an electroanatomic mapping system. Esophageal and left atrial imaging helped to avoid catheter ablation in left atrial tissue overlapping the esophagus.