Multidetector computed tomography in transcatheter aortic valve replacement: an update on technological developments and clinical applications.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has revolutionized the treatment of patients with underlying sever aortic valve stenosis across all spectrum of the disease. CT imaging is so crucial to the pre procedural planning, to incorporate the information from the CT imaging in the decision making intraprocedurally and to predict and identity the post procedural complications.Areas covered In this article, we review available studies on CT role in TAVR procedure and provide update on the technological developments and clinical applications.Expert opinion CT imaging, with its high resolution, and in particular its utilization in aortic annular measurements, bicuspid aortic valve assessment, hypoattenuated leaflet thickening and valve in valve therapy proved to be the ideal approach to study the mechanisms of aortic stenosis, detection of high-risk anatomy, more accurate risk stratification and thus to allow a personalized catheter based intervention of the affected patients.