Comparative imaging of cardiac structures and function for the optimization of transcatheter approaches for valvular...

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Imaging
• Medical Device Engineering
• Anatomical Science

Background:

• Human heart anatomy exhibits significant variations, crucial for understanding pathologies.
• Accurate visualization is vital for successful transcatheter device placement.
• Knowledge of cardiac anatomy and device-tissue interaction informs less invasive repair strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To detail cardiac anatomy using multiple imaging modalities.
• To assess imaging modality effectiveness for transcatheter device visualization.
• To provide anatomical insights for developing and employing less invasive cardiac repair.

Main Methods:

• Utilized Visible Heart® methodologies on preserved human heart specimens.
• Conducted studies on reanimated large mammalian hearts.
• Employed multiple imaging modalities for detailed anatomical assessment.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated unique anatomical variations in human hearts.
• Provided insights into imaging modality selection for device placement.
• Established critical anatomical and device-tissue interface knowledge.

Conclusions:

• Detailed cardiac anatomical assessment is essential for understanding variations and pathologies.
• Imaging modality selection impacts transcatheter device visualization.
• Anatomical knowledge is critical for advancing less invasive cardiac repair techniques.