Introductions and proceedings of imaging in preoperative assessment of transcatheter aortic valve replacement

Objective If left untreated, aortic stenosis(AS) is associated with a dismal prognosis . Transcatheter aortic valve replacement(TAVR) is emerging as a viable treatment alternative for these patients, with multiple co-morbidities and anticipated increased surgical risk, excluded from surgical intervention. Transcatheter valvular heart procedures are characterized by lack of exposure and visualization of the operative field, therefore relying on image guidance, both for patient selection and preparation and the implantation procedure itself .Temporal imaging methods used for preoperative assessment of TAVR include transthoracic echocardiography(TTE), transesophageal echocardiography(TEE), multi-detector row computed tomography(MDCT) .However , these methods are associated with some limitations. Recent advances explored the utility of 4-dimensional CT angiogram and 3D print for accurate assessment before TAVR, which can replicate both the anatomic and functional properties of severe degenerative aortic valve stenosis.