Fast Five Quiz: Can You Answer These Challenging Cardiology Questions?

TEE is the preferred technique for detecting thrombus in the left atrium. However, TTE is the preferred modality for evaluating atrial flutter. It can evaluate right and left atrial size, as well as the size and function of the right and left ventricles, thereby facilitating diagnosis of valvular heart disease, left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), and pericardial disease. TTE has low sensitivity for intra-atrial thrombi.

Chest x-ray may be useful in evaluation of lung disease and the pulmonary vasculature. Chest x-ray findings are usually normal in patients with atrial flutter, but x-ray evidence of pulmonary edema may be present in subacute cases.

Atrial flutter is diagnosed from the 12-lead electrocardiogram. An EP study, performed with catheters in the EP laboratory, is not necessary for the diagnosis of atrial flutter; however, it is necessary for ablation procedures when other methods of eliminating or controlling atrial flutter have failed.

For more on the workup of atrial flutter, read here.

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Any views expressed above are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of WebMD or Medscape.

Cite this: Ali A. Sovari, Yasmine S. Ali, Shabir Bhimji, et. al. Fast Five Quiz: Can You Answer These Challenging Cardiology Questions? - Medscape - Mar 13, 2017.