Prosthetic Heart Valve Dysfunction Research Articles

Role of multimodality imaging in the assessment of mechanical prosthetic heart valve dysfunction

Role of multimodality imaging in the assessment of mechanical prosthetic heart valve dysfunction

Usefulness of cardiac computed tomography in prosthetic heart valve dysfunction

BackgroundProsthetic heart valve (PHV) dysfunction is a serious complication. Echocardiography remains the first-line imaging investigation to assess PHV dysfunction. However, the role of Computed Tomography (CT) scanning in this type of case has not been thoroughly studied yet.The objective of our study was to determine if cardiac Computed Tomography (CT) had a potentially complementary role to play alongside echocardiography in diagnosing the mechanism of prosthetic valve dysfunction. Methods and resultsThis prospective cohort study was conducted on 54 patients with suspected PHV dysfunction. All patients underwent routine diagnosis work-up (transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography) and additional cardiac CT. Cardiac CT showed findings that were not detected by echocardiography in seven patients (12%) namely aortic pannus (5) and pseudoaneurysm (2). An underlying thrombus was detected by echocardiography and missed by cardiac CT in 15 patients (27%). However, in these thrombotic cases, cardiac CT contributed to the functional evaluation of leaflets. ConclusionThis study demonstrates that an integrated approach including transthoracic, transesophageal echocardiography and computed tomography is useful in patients with suspected PHV dysfunction. While computed tomography is more accurate in the diagnosis of pannus formation and periannular complications, echocardiography is superior at detecting thrombus.

Role of multimodality imaging in the assessment of mechanical prosthetic heart valve dysfunction

Role of multimodality imaging in the assessment of mechanical prosthetic heart valve dysfunction

Lessons Learned From Intermittent Dysfunction of Mechanical Heart Valve.

Background:Intermittent malfunction is a rare but potentially serious complication of prosthetic heart valve replacement. This study aimed to describe the clinical features and etiologic causes of patients with intermittent mechanical prosthetic heart valve dysfunction.Methods:Between 2010 and 2021, 16 patients who were evaluated in the echocardiography laboratory of Koşuyolu Training and Research Hospital with the diagnosis of intermittent malfunction of prosthetic valves were included in the study.Results:The evaluated patients consisted of 12 bi-leaflet mitral valve replacements and 2 mono-leaflet mitral valve replacements. The underlying causes of intermittent malfunction were classified as follows: residual chord (n = 4), obstructive thrombus (n = 2), non-obstructive thrombus (n = 2), vegetation (n = 2), pannus and obstructive thrombus coexistence (n = 1), and solely pannus (n = 1). One of the patients with mono-leaflet mitral valve replacements had pannus and obstructive thrombus. In the other patient with mono-leaflet mitral valve replacement, a stuck valve was observed in 1 of 12 beats secondary to arrhythmia. There were also 2 patients with aortic valve replacements. One patient had moderate aortic regurgitation due to prominent calcification and the other had moderate obstruction due to pannus. In the patient with pannus, a stuck leaflet was observed in 1 of 6 beats and moderate aortic regurgitation arose in 1 of 2 beats in the patient with calcification.Conclusions:The intermittent stuck valve may have catastrophic outcomes. When making a treatment decision in these patients, assessing the degree of regurgitation or stenosis is essential. In particular, the frequency of entrapment should be taken into consideration when deciding the optimal therapy for intermittent prosthetic heart valve dysfunction.

Diagnostic accuracy of cardiac computed tomographic angiography and transesophageal echocardiography in evaluation of patients with prosthetic paravalvular leakage.

Computed Tomography (CT) scan has been well addressed to provide diagnostic information for patients with prosthetic heart valve (PHV) dysfunction. However, its role in the assessment of patients with prosthetic paravalvular leakage (PVL) has not been studied thoroughly. So, this study was conducted to assess the feasibility, reproducibility, and accuracy of CT for diagnosis of prosthetic PVL using surgical findings as the reference standard. This was a prospective cohort study that was conducted on 26 consecutive patients with suspected prosthetic PVL who underwent both transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) and 64-slice ECG-gated CT. The gold standard was the intraoperative findings. Surgery was performed on 26 patients. There was an excellent degree of agreement between CT and intraoperative findings for diagnosis, localization of prosthetic PVL. The perimeter of prosthetic PVL measured by CT was strongly correlated with echocardiographic severity of PVL by TEE (Spearman's Correlation Coefficient, r=.83, p=.0014). This study demonstrates that cardiac CT showed comparable diagnostic accuracy to TEE and intraoperative findings for the detection, localization, and assessment of severity of prosthetic PVL. Moreover, CT was shown to be useful in detection of other findings related to prosthetic cardiac valves.

365 Combining mechanisms of prosthetic valve dysfunction

Abstract A 32-year-old female was referred to our outpatient clinic for exertional dyspnoea that had worsened in the preceding months. She had a history of mitral and aortic valve replacement with bileaflet mechanical prosthesis (St. Jude Master n. 25 and Medtronic Open Pivot n. 16, respectively) for rheumatic heart disease. A recent echocardiography showed borderline-high trans-aortic gradients (mean 26 mmHg, peak 42 mmHg). Transthoracic echocardiography revealed abnormal aortic transprosthetic flow (peak velocity 442 cm/s, mean gradient 48 mmHg). Continuous Wave Doppler signal was rounded with a long acceleration time (108 ms). Effective orifice area (EOA) was 0.8 cmq (index EOA 0.48 cmq/mq) and Doppler Velocity Index 0.28. Further investigations revealed no signs of infections but suboptimal anticoagulation (INR 2.5). Transesophageal 3D echocardiography was suggestive for hypomobility of the prosthetic leaflets and the presence of an isoechoic mass encircling the ventricular side of the aortic prosthesis compatible with pannus overgrowth. Cardiac CT confirmed the presence of a symmetrical reduction in the systolic opening of both leaflets. The patient underwent a redo of aortic valve replacement that confirmed the presence of an asymmetric subprosthetic pannus overgrowing on the previously implanted surgical pledgets. After pannus debritment a St. Jude Regent n. 21 was implanted. The patient experienced complete symptomatic resolution. We presented the case of a prosthetic aortic valve dysfunction due to a combination of patient-prosthesis mismatch and pannus overgrowth. In our patient, as assessed in the old echocardiographic examinations, the presence of mildly elevated transprosthetic gradients was suggestive for prosthesis undersizing related to body surface area. In this scenario, subvalvular pannus formation caused significant changes in prosthetic valve transvalvular flow dynamic leading to prosthesis dysfunction. This case emphasises the crucial role of echocardiographic follow up in detection of causes of prosthetic heart valve dysfunction and how optimal valve sizing is paramount in aortic valve replacement.

Imaging Spectrum of Valvular and Paravalvular Complications of Prosthetic Heart Valve at CT Angiography.

Prosthetic heart valve (PHV) dysfunction is an uncommon but potentially life-threatening condition. In routine practice, transthoracic echocardiography and cinefluoroscopy comprise first-line imaging for the diagnostic evaluation of PHV dysfunction. In cases in which the findings of echocardiography and cinefluoroscopy remain inconclusive or are contradictory, CT angiography can resolve these conflicts. CT angiography also provides incremental diagnostic information about patients with suspected PHV obstruction and endocarditis, in which case it can demonstrate the anatomic substrate and extent of involvement. Additionally, information regarding the coronary arteries, cardiac dimensions, and retrosternal space may be obtained in cases in which repeat surgery is planned. This imaging essay describes the imaging spectrum of valvular and paravalvular complications of PHV at CT angiography and how the knowledge regarding the spectrum of complications can be incorporated into multimodality imaging for guiding clinical management. Keywords: Prosthetic Heart Valve Dysfunction, Prosthetic Heart Valve Thrombosis, Pannus, Paravalvular Leak, CT Angiography, Cardiac, Valves Supplemental material is available for this article. © RSNA, 2021.

Clinical outcomes of isolated redo mitral valve replacement in patients with mitral prosthetic heart valve dysfunction

Objectives: Redo mitral valve replacement (redo-MVR) represents a clinical challenge due to a higher rates of peri-operative morbidity and mortality. Patients and Methods: This retrospective study enrolled a total of 103 patients who underwent isolated redo-MVR due to prosthetic valve dysfunction. Patients who had an isolated bypass, low echocardiographic quality, history of repeated re-replacements (more than twice), paravalvular leak repair without preoperative and intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography examination, isolated congenital surgery or isolated open-heart surgical intervention (of any type) without a valve procedure at their first or later operations were excluded. The primary endpoint of the study was in-hospital death. Secondary endpoint included individual morbidity. Results: A total of 103 patients (mean age: 50.7 13.4 years; male: 58) who underwent isolated redo-MVR were enrolled in this study. The most common complaint of the patients at admission was obstruction or heart failure-related symptoms (80.6%) and the primary indication for redo-MVR was prosthetic valve thrombosis in 58 patients (56.3%). In-hospital mortality was 12.6% (13 patients). The post-operative complications included major bleeding (n=11) post-operative infection (sepsis, mediastinitis, pneumonia, wound infection, n=15), low cardiac output syndrome (n=10), acute kidney injury (n=17), pericardial effusion with tamponade (n=10), pleural effusion requiring hospitalization and drainage (n=18), ischemic stroke (n=4), fatal ventricular arrhythmia (n=1), peripheral embolism (n=1), moderate to severe paravalvular leak (n=5). There was not any catastrophic heart laceration. Conclusion: In-hospital mortality and complications of the isolated redo-MVR in our center are acceptable. With a well-defined protocol and appropriate patient selection, mortality in emergencies cases may be reduced.

Role of multimodality imaging in the assessment of mechanical prosthetic heart valve dysfunction

In patients with suspected mechanical prosthetic heart valve (PHV) dysfunction, transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography are considered as the first-line imaging, but may provide unsatisfactory results related to reverberations and acoustic shadowing. This study assessed the value of ECG-gated multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) as a complementary imaging modality in suspected prosthetic dysfunction. Patients with suspected mechanical PHV dysfunction were prospectively recruited between 2018 and 2020 in the cardiology department of Ariana hospital. All patients underwent transthoracic/transesophageal echocardiography and additional MDCT imaging. We compared the diagnosis based on echocardiography and on MDCT information. Our study enrolled 32 patients (median age was 53.7 years: 26–76). 16 patients had an aortic prosthetic valve (50%), 8 patients had a mitral prosthetic valve (25%), 8 patients had mitro-aortic prosthetic valves (25%). An obstructive dysfonction was noticed in 23 patients (72%): a thrombus in 12 cases, a pannus in 4 cases, a mismatch in 2 cases and a reduction in a leaflet motion in 4 cases, a vegetation in one case. A regurgitation was noticed in 4 patients: two paraprosthetic regurgitation and two paraprosthetic aneurysm. Ultrasound imaging and MDCT found same results for mismatach. Echocardiogram was more performant in the diagnosis of thrombosis ( P = 0,02). The addition of MDCT showed incremental value in detecting pannus ( P = 0,02), leaflet restriction and paraprosthetic aneurysm.The leaflet restriction diagnosed by CT in significantly associated with thrombus ( P = 0,03) ( Fig. 1 ). Mechanical PHV dysfunction is rare but life-threatening. A multimodality imaging assessment (ultrasound and CT) is necessary to precise mechanism and indicate the appropriate treatment. MDCT imaging is superior for detecting pannus and leaflet motion restriction.

Impact of Cardiac Computed Tomographic Angiography on Diagnostic and Therapeutic Decisions in Patients with Suspected Prosthetic Heart Valve Dysfunction.

IntroductionComputed Tomography (CT) scan is a helpful tool to assess the coronary arteries and the great vessels. However, its routine use in the assessment of patients with suspected prosthetic valve dysfunction (PVD) has not been studied thoroughly.ObjectiveTo determine the impact of routine cardiac computed tomography angiography (CCTA) on diagnostic and therapeutic decisions in patients with suspected PVD.Methods and resultsThis was a prospective cohort study that was conducted on 50 consecutive patients with suspected PVD who underwent both 64-slice ECG-gated CT and transesophageal echocardiography (TEE). The gold standard was the intraoperative findings. Surgery was performed in forty-six patients. ECG-gated CT showed findings that were not detected by TEE in sixteen patients (32%) namely aortic root abscess, aortic pseudoaneurysm, paravalvular leakage (PVL), sclero-calcific disruption of sutures as cause of PVL, mechanical prosthesis occluder malfunction, an underlying thrombus as cause of malfunction and finally presence of aortic dissection. Furthermore, CTA findings dictated treatment changes in fourteen patients (28%).ConclusionThis study demonstrates that ECG-gated CTA has a complementary role to TEE in patients with suspected PVD. CCTA is more accurate in diagnosis of periannular complications (Aortic root abscess and Pseudo-aneurysm) and in delineating their anatomical relation to surrounding cardiac structures. Therefore CCTA can have important role in deciding and planning the method of correction whether surgical or percutaneous and has to be considered after TEE in patients with a high suspicion on PVD.

Valvular Prostheses Dysfunction

Prosthetic heart valve dysfunction can provoke the appearance of symptoms or signs or completely asymptomatic being. A typical symptom of malfunction of the heart valves is the heart failure, with one of its more common symptoms the dyspnea. The substitution of the heart valves with mechanical or biological prosthesis can cause a heart dysfunction. There was carried out a review with the objective to describe the main causes and the handling of the prosthetic heart valve dysfunction. In patient with valve substitution can appear failure, either for intrinsic or extrinsic dysfunction, being these last ones those of more incidence. The handling from the clinical point of view and the medical treatment precocious is fundamental pillars to elevate the patients' quality life. The surgery is generally reserved to patient with recurrence or severe complications

Risk Factors Associated with Heart Valve Thrombosis in Patients with Prosthetic Heart Valve Dysfunction.

Thrombotic and thromboembolic events are important causes of mortality and morbidity in patients with prosthetic heart valve. The aim of this study is to evaluate the factors that may contribute to prosthetic heart valve thrombosis. This was a cross-sectional study in Rajaie Heart Center on patients with prosthetic heart valve malfunction, within a year. According to the echocardiographic and fluoroscopic findings, the patients were divided into two groups (thrombosis and non-thrombosis groups). The patients' demographic, clinical and laboratory data were recorded and analyzed with SPSS software. A total of 142 patients participated in this study. Ninety-four patients (66.2%) were diagnosed with thrombosis. There was a significant relationship between thrombosis and inadequate anti-coagulation (international normalized rati [INR] <2.5) (odds ratio [OR]: 4.15, 95% CI: 1.98-9.87, P = 0.003), history of infection (OR: 12.81, 95% CI: 3.52-19.02, P<0.001), prothrombin time (PT) check interval (OR: 2.38, 95% CI: 1.63-8.47, P = 0.019), atrial fibrillation (AF) rhythm (OR: 3.96, 95% CI: 1.75-8.09, P = 0.019), and plasma fibrinogen level (OR: 6.90, 95% CI: 2.58-14.69). Based on this study, inadequate anti-coagulation, AF rhythm, recent infection and plasma fibrinogen level were the factors most contributing to prosthetic valve thrombosis. As there were many cases of thrombosis in patients with history of infection, this factor can be considered for risk assessment in prosthetic valve.

Is oral anticoagulation effective in preventing transcatheter aortic valve implantation failure? A propensity matched analysis of the Italian Transcatheter balloon-Expandable valve Registry study.

Early hypo-attenuated leaflet thickening after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has been recently described presumably reflecting thrombus apposition. Although its clinical relevance is still unknown, oral anticoagulant therapy (OAT) led to almost complete resolution. The retrospecitve Italian Transcatheter balloon-Expandable valve registry that included all patients undergoing balloon-expandable TAVI in 33 Italian centers. Patients discharged after TAVI with aspirin alone were compared with those assuming aspirin and OAT before and after propensity score with matching. Prosthetic heart valve dysfunction at follow-up was the primary end point. All-cause death, cardiovascular death, bleeding, vascular complications and cerebrovascular accidents at 30 days and at follow-up were the secondary ones. Among the 1904 patients enrolled in the Italian Transcatheter balloon-Expandable valve registry, 716 patients on OAT and aspirin or aspirin alone were identified and analyzed: 555 were on aspirin alone and 161 on OAT and aspirin. The median follow-up was 44.0 ± 12 months. After matching, risk of prosthetic valve dysfunction at follow-up did not differ between the two groups: 3.1% in patients treated with aspirin alone vs. 1.9% in those treated with OAT and aspirin, (P = 0.72). Nevertheless patients treated with aspirin alone at follow-up had a significantly lower risk of death (21 vs. 33%, P = 0.03) and major bleeding (4 vs. 14%, P = 0.04) with a similar rate of stroke/transient ischemic attack (TIA) (1.2 vs. 3.1%, P = 0.45). At 30 days rates of Valve Academic Research Consortium death were similar in both groups (0.6 vs. 3.7%, P = 0.12) with higher risk of life threatening bleeding and minor vascular complications in patients on OAT and aspirin. After TAVI with Edwards Sapien valve OAT did not reduce the incidence of valve dysfunction and stroke but was responsible for mortality and bleeding increases.

Multimodality Imaging of Complications of Cardiac Valve Surgeries.

Replacement with a prosthetic heart valve (PHV) remains the definitive surgical procedure for management of severe cardiac valve disease. PHV dysfunction is uncommon but can be a life-threatening condition. The broad hemodynamic and pathophysiologic manifestations of PHV dysfunction are stenosis, regurgitation, and a stuck leaflet. Specific structural abnormalities that cause PHV dysfunction include prosthetic valve-patient mismatch, structural failure, valve calcification, dehiscence, paravalvular leak, infective endocarditis, abscess, pseudoaneurysm, abnormal connections, thrombus, hypoattenuating leaflet thickening, and pannus. Multiple imaging modalities are available for evaluating a PHV and its dysfunction. Transthoracic echocardiography is often the first-line imaging modality, with additional modalities such as transesophageal echocardiography, CT, MRI, cine fluoroscopy, and nuclear medicine used for further characterization and establishing a specific cause. The authors review PHVs and the role of imaging modalities in evaluation of PHV dysfunction and illustrate the imaging appearances of different complications. Online supplemental material is available for this article. ©RSNA, 2019.

Advanced CT acquisition protocol with a third-generation dual-source CT scanner and iterative reconstruction technique for comprehensive prosthetic heart valve assessment

ObjectivesMultidetector CT (MDCT) is a valuable tool for functional prosthetic heart valve (PHV) assessment. However, radiation exposure remains a concern. We assessed a novel CT-acquisition protocol for comprehensive PHV evaluation at limited dose.MethodsPatients with a PHV were scanned using a third-generation dual-source CT scanner (DSCT) and iterative reconstruction technique (IR). Three acquisitions were obtained: a non-enhanced scan; a contrast-enhanced, ECG-triggered, arterial CT angiography (CTA) scan with reconstructions at each 5 % of the R-R interval; and a delayed high-pitch CTA of the entire chest. Image quality was scored on a five-point scale. Radiation dose was obtained from the reported CT dose index (CTDI) and dose length product (DLP).ResultsWe analysed 43 CT examinations. Mean image quality score was 4.1±1.4, 4.7±0.5 and 4.2±0.6 for the non-contrast-enhanced, arterial and delayed acquisitions, respectively, with a total mean image quality of 4.3±0.7. Mean image quality for leaflet motion was 3.9±1.4. Mean DLP was 28.2±17.1, 457.3±168.6 and 68.5±47.2 mGy.cm for the non-contrast-enhanced (n=40), arterial (n=43) and delayed acquisition (n=43), respectively. The mean total DLP was 569±208 mGy.cm and mean total radiation dose was 8.3±3.0 mSv (n=43).ConclusionComprehensive assessment of PHVs is possible using DSCT and IR at moderate radiation dose.Key points• Prosthetic heart valve dysfunction is a potentially life-threatening condition.• Dual-source CT can adequately assess valve leaflet motion and anatomy.• We assessed a comprehensive protocol with three acquisitions for PHV evaluation.• This protocol is associated with good image quality and limited dose.

Which is the best antiaggregant or anticoagulant therapy after TAVI? A propensity-matched analysis from the ITER registry. The management of DAPT after TAVI

The safety and efficacy of single vs. dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) in patients undergoing TAVI remain to be addressed. The aim of our study was to evaluate the usefulness of a DAPT compared to a single platelet therapy in patients undergoing TAVI with a balloon-expandable prosthesis. All consecutive patients enrolled in the ITER registry were included. Patients undergoing TAVI discharged with aspirin alone were compared to those taking DAPT before and after selection using propensity score with matching. Subgroup analysis was performed for those on OAT. Prosthetic heart valve dysfunction at follow-up was the primary endpoint, whereas all-cause death, cardiovascular death, bleedings, vascular complications and cerebrovascular accidents were the secondary ones. From 1,364 patients, after propensity score with matching, 605 were selected for each group (aspirin alone vs. DAPT). At 30 days, rates of VARC mortality were lower in patients with aspirin alone (1.5% vs. 4.1%, p=0.003), mainly driven by a reduction of major vascular complications (5.3% vs. 10.7%, p<0.001) and of major bleedings (6.6% vs. 11.5%, p<0.001), without a difference in prosthetic heart valve dysfunction after 45±14 months (2.8% vs. 3.0%, p=0.50). These results were confirmed on multivariable analysis. After TAVI with a balloon-expandable prosthesis, aspirin alone does not increase the risk of prosthetic valve dysfunction, and reduces the risk of periprocedural complications and of 30-day all-cause death.

Transapical transcatheter aortic valve implantation using the J-Valve system: A 1-year follow-up study

ObjectiveTranscatheter aortic valve implantation has become a routine procedure to treat screened inoperable or high-risk patients. In this study, we present the first outcome of echocardiographic midterm using a new second-generation transcatheter aortic valve implantation system, the J-Valve system (Jie Cheng Medical Technologies, Suzhou, China), in patients with aortic stenosis or aortic regurgitation. MethodsFrom July 2014 to June 2015, 21 patients with isolated aortic valve disease at high risk for open surgery received transapical transcatheter aortic valve implantation using the J-Valve system. The primary end point was a combined efficacy end point after 1 year, which included all-cause mortality after more than 30 days and failure of current therapy for aortic stenosis or aortic regurgitation requiring hospitalization for symptoms of valve-related cardiac decompensation or prosthetic heart valve dysfunction. Secondary end points were cardiovascular mortality, major stroke, and life-threatening, disabling, or major bleeding after 6 and 12 months. ResultsThe mean age of the study cohort was 75.52 ± 5.22 years, the European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation II score was 11.33% ± 1.28%, and the mean logistic European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation I score was 31.13% ± 9.68%. Transcatheter aortic valve implantation with the J-Valve system was successfully performed in 19 of the 21 patients (90.5%). For patients with aortic stenosis, 12-month follow-up echocardiography demonstrated an increase in mean effective valve area from 0.62 ± 0.17 cm2 to 1.52 ± 0.35 cm2 and a decrease in transvalvular mean gradient from 61 ± 15 mm Hg to 18 ± 9 mm Hg. All surviving patients (n = 18) reported improvements in at least 1 of the New York Heart Association classes. The combined ratio of successful implantation and absence of adverse events in our cohort (n = 21) was 76.19%. ConclusionsThe J-Valve system exhibits a convincing midterm performance and is a safe and feasible procedure with low perioperative and postoperative complications.

Diagnostic evaluation and treatment strategy in patients with suspected prosthetic heart valve dysfunction: The incremental value of MDCT

BackgroundIn patients with suspected prosthetic heart valve (PHV) dysfunction, routine evaluation echocardiography and fluoroscopy may provide unsatisfactory results for identifying the cause of dysfunction. This study assessed the value of MDCT as a routine, complementary imaging modality in suspected PHV-dysfunction for diagnosing the cause of PHV dysfunction and proposing a treatment strategy. MethodsPatients with suspected PHV dysfunction were prospectively recruited. All patients underwent routine diagnostic work-up (TTE, TEE ± fluoroscopy) and additional MDCT imaging. An expert panel reviewed all cases and assessed the diagnosis and treatment strategy, first based on routine evaluation only, second with additional MDCT information. ResultsForty-two patients were included with suspected PHV obstruction (n = 30) and PHV regurgitation (n = 12). The addition of MDCT showed incremental value to routine evaluation in 26/30 (87%) cases for detecting the specific cause of PHV obstruction and in 7/12 (58%) regurgitation cases for assessment of complications and surgical planning. The addition of MDCT resulted in treatment strategy change in 8/30 (27%) patients with suspected obstruction and 3/12 (25%) patients with regurgitation. ConclusionIn addition to echocardiography and fluoroscopy, MDCT may identify the cause of PHV dysfunction and alter the treatment strategy.

Recommendations for the imaging assessment of prosthetic heart valves: a report from the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging endorsed by the Chinese Society of Echocardiography, the Inter-American Society of Echocardiography, and the Brazilian Department of Cardiovascular Imaging†

Prosthetic heart valve (PHV) dysfunction is rare but potentially life-threatening. Although often challenging, establishing the exact cause of PHV dysfunction is essential to determine the appropriate treatment strategy. In clinical practice, a comprehensive approach that integrates several parameters of valve morphology and function assessed with 2D/3D transthoracic and transoesophageal echocardiography is a key to appropriately detect and quantitate PHV dysfunction. Cinefluoroscopy, multidetector computed tomography, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, and to a lesser extent, nuclear imaging are complementary tools for the diagnosis and management of PHV complications. The present document provides recommendations for the use of multimodality imaging in the assessment of PHVs.

Novel imaging strategies for the detection of prosthetic heart valve obstruction and endocarditis.

Prosthetic heart valve (PHV) dysfunction remains difficult to recognise correctly by two-dimensional (2D) transthoracic and transoesophageal echocardiography (TTE/TEE). ECG-triggered multidetector-row computed tomography (MDCT), 18-fluorine-fluorodesoxyglucose positron emission tomography including low-dose CT (FDG-PET) and three-dimensional transoesophageal echocardiography (3D-TEE) may have additional value. This paper reviews the role of these novel imaging tools in the field of PHV obstruction and endocarditis.For acquired PHV obstruction, MDCT is of additional value in mechanical PHVs to differentiate pannus from thrombus as well as to dynamically study leaflet motion and opening/closing angles. For biological PHV obstruction, additional imaging is not beneficial as it does not change patient management. When performed on top of 2D-TTE/TEE, MDCT has additional value for the detection of both vegetations and pseudoaneurysms/abscesses in PHV endocarditis. FDG-PET has no complementary value for the detection of vegetations; however, it appears more sensitive in the early detection of pseudoaneurysms/abscesses. Furthermore, FDG-PET enables the detection of metastatic and primary extra-cardiac infections. Evidence for the additional value of 3D-TEE is scarce.As clinical implications are major, clinicians should have a low threshold to perform additional MDCT in acquired mechanical PHV obstruction. For suspected PHV endocarditis, both FDG-PET and MDCT have complementary value.