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News
After a heart attack, spotting dangerous blood clots in the heart's left ventricle just got easier. A new study found that measuring "peak apical rotation" on echocardiography was far better at identifying left ventricular (LV) thrombus than the commonly used ejection fraction (LVEF) — and could even predict clots before they became visible. The finding could reshape how clinicians risk-stratify post-MI patients.
After a heart attack, spotting dangerous blood clots in the heart's left ventricle just got easier. A prospective UK study of 270 patients with anterior myocardial infarction (MI) found that a measure called peak apical rotation — assessed via speckle-tracking echocardiography — dramatically outperformed the standard left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) in identifying patients who developed left ventricular (LV) thrombus.
What's more, low apical rotation at admission could predict clots that hadn't yet formed — flagging high-risk patients before the thrombus became clinically apparent. This is especially significant because LVEF, the go-to metric, essentially failed to discriminate thrombus risk in patients with already-reduced heart function.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: LV thrombus after MI carries serious stroke risk. A more accurate, early-detection tool could help clinicians intervene sooner — potentially preventing devastating complications.
