Non-aortic Valvular Heart Disease

Abstract

Cardiac computed tomography (CT) provides detailed anatomic information of cardiac valve and paravalvular structures and has an emerging role in the assessment of cardiac valvular disease. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides functional information of cardiac chambers, particularly in hearts deformed or distorted by disease or previous surgery. Planimetry of the mitral valve area by CT and MRI has been shown to be feasible, but tends to overestimate echocardiography. Cardiac CT is particularly helpful in cases with poor image quality on echocardiography. These cases include mitral valve disease with severe valvular or annular calcification, pulmonary valvular disease, and prosthetic valve dysfunction. Thanks to easy applicability of 3D imaging, cardiac CT provides surgeon’s view of mitral valve disease, which may be helpful for surgical planning. However, the risk of radiation exposure and of renal failure due to intravenous contrast agent should be taken into consideration. In this chapter, various cases of non-aortic valvular heart disease will be demonstrated using cardiac CT and MRI, and additional value of these modalities over echocardiography will be highlighted.