The role of computed tomography in the planning of transcatheter aortic valve implantation: a retrospective analysis in 200 procedures

AIM: The aim of our study is to show the importance of multislice computed tomography (CT) assessment in the overall management and diagnostic framework of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVI) procedure candidates. METHODS: Between June 2015 and April 2017, 200 patients with severe aortic stenosis, not eligible for surgery, were enrolled, as defined by EuroSCORE; they were submitted to TAVI at the interventional cardiology department of the Tor Vergata Polyclinic. CT studies were performed using a 64-slice scanner. RESULTS: The reports and datasets produced during the pre-TAVI CT evaluation were retrospectively evaluated. DISCUSSION: In TAVI candidates, accurate aortic valve shape and dimensions evaluation is crucial for the proper deployment of the prosthetic valve and in order to reduce postprocedural complications. ECG retrospective gated cardiac CT gives the clinician three-dimensional images of the heart, with high spatial resolution and multiplanar reconstructions allowing accurate visualization of the aortic annulus and coronary ostia to be obtained, and the evaluation of arterial calcifications. Furthermore, CT can provide data on the suitability of peripheral vascular accesses. Moreover, this technique can point out the presence of clinically relevant extracardiac findings. Therefore, CT evaluation assures a safe, reliable and prognostically relevant method for TAVI preprocedural planning. CONCLUSION: Our study remarks the importance of CT assessment in the overall management and diagnostic framework of TAVI candidates; the information provided is essential in order to minimize possible complications and to improve the quality of the therapeutic planning.