Key result
Normal left atrial right lateral border appears on ~30% of pediatric frontal chest radiographs.
Why the study?
The normal appearance and visibility of the left atrium's right lateral border on frontal chest radiographs in children was not well characterized.
How frequently is the normal left atrium visible on frontal chest radiographs in children?
Cross-Sectional (n=543)
How frequently is the normal left atrium visible on frontal chest radiographs in children?
The right lateral border of the normal left atrium is visible in 30% of frontal chest radiographs in children and should be distinguished from abnormalities.
Prominent right border of normal left atrium on pediatric radiographs may be a normal variant; leaves open its specificity for enlargement.
The right lateral border of the left atrium can be seen in the anteroposterior radiographs of healthy children. Five hundred forty-three frontal radiographs, mostly of children, were reviewed, and the right lateral border of the left atrium was visualized in 30%, although it was very prominent in only 2.5% of cases. In a comparison of frontal angiocardiograms with plain chest radiographs, the shadow was demonstrated to be the lateral or inferior wall of the left atrium. Entities that simulate the left atrial shadow are presented, and ways to distinguish normal appearance from abnormalities are discussed.
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Rosario-Medina et al. (1986) conducted a cross-sectional in Healthy children (n=543). Frontal chest radiographs was evaluated on Visualization of the right lateral border of the left atrium. Review of 543 frontal chest radiographs in children showed that the right lateral border of the normal left atrium was visualized in 30% of cases, but was very prominent in only 2.5%.
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