Left atrial late gadolinium enhancement and mitral regurgitation in subjects with atrial fibrillation

Background Late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) is used to evaluate fibrosis of the left atrium (LA) in subjects with atrial fibrillation (AF). LA fibrosis by LGE has been shown to correlate with LA volumes. However, within AF subjects, the association of mitral regurgitation (MR) with LA LGE is not well described. Pathological studies have demonstrated atrial fibrosis and tissue disorganization in cardiac diseases, including valvular disease. The current study evaluates the relationship between LA LGE, LA volumes, and MR in subjects with AF.