Cardiac Computed Tomography: Application in Valvular Heart Disease

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Medical Imaging
• Cardiac Surgery

Background:

• Valvular heart disease (VHD) incidence and prevalence are increasing globally.
• Echocardiography is the primary imaging tool, but cardiac computed tomography (CT) offers complementary insights.
• Advances in imaging and therapeutics are transforming VHD assessment and treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the current and future applications of cardiac CT in VHD.
• To highlight CT's role in transcatheter valvular interventions and complication monitoring.
• To discuss CT's utility in evaluating prosthetic valve complications and myocardial assessment.

Main Methods:

• Review of current literature on cardiac CT in valvular heart disease.
• Focus on CT's role in aortic and mitral valve interventions.
• Discussion of CT for prosthetic valve thrombosis, endocarditis, and myocardial assessment.

Main Results:

• Cardiac CT provides novel insights beyond echocardiography for VHD assessment.
• CT is essential for procedural planning, complication detection, and prosthesis monitoring in transcatheter interventions.
• CT aids in diagnosing prosthetic valve complications like thrombosis and endocarditis.

Conclusions:

• Cardiac CT is increasingly vital in managing valvular heart disease.
• CT enhances the safety and efficacy of transcatheter valvular interventions.
• Future prospects for CT in VHD assessment are significant, including myocardial evaluation.