A Practical Guide to Multimodality Imaging of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement

The advent of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is one of the most widely anticipated advances in the care of patients with severe aortic stenosis. This procedure is unique in many ways, one of which is the need for a multimodality imaging team-based approach throughout the continuum of the care of TAVR patients. Pre-procedural planning, intraprocedural implantation optimization, and long-term follow-up of patients undergoing TAVR require the expert use of various imaging modalities, each of which has its own strengths and limitations. Divided into 3 sections (pre-procedural, intraprocedural, and long-term follow-up), this review offers a single source for expert opinion and evidence-based guidance on how to incorporate the various modalities at each step in the care of a TAVR patient. Although much has been learned in the short span of time since TAVR was introduced, recommendations are offered for clinically relevant research that will lead to refinement of best practice strategies for incorporating multimodality imaging into TAVR patient care. (J Am Coll Cardiol Img 2012;5: 441-55) (C) 2012 by the American College of Cardiology Foundation