Three-dimensional echocardiography of left atrial appendage thrombus

Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is superior to transthoracic echocar diography (TTE) in evaluating the left atrial appendage (LAA) as a potentia l cardiac source of embolus in patients with stroke. We describe two such p atients in whom a TEE and subsequently a three-dimensional (3-D) reconstruc tion of the LAA were performed. These case reports show that 3-D echocardio graphy provides better visualization of LAA anatomy, and that a 3-D descrip tion of LAA morphology may be the basis of describing normal and abnormal L AA.