The Crucial Role of Cardiac Imaging in Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR): Pre- and Post-procedural Assessment

Transcatheter valve interventions have emerged as one of the most important developments in structural heart disease over the past 20 years. Initially, these interventions were directed at patients with severe aortic stenosis and high surgical risk; however, their applications have extended to involve other native valves’ pathologies, degenerated prosthetic valves, as well as patients of lower surgical risk. In this article, we discuss the importance of cardiac imaging in transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) by exploring the current practices, guidelines, and recommendations with the supporting data. We believe that the key for a successful TAVR is careful pre-procedural planning and early detection of any possible post-implantation complications. To achieve this, multimodality imaging is cornerstone. Throughout the stages of patient-evaluation, echocardiography and computed tomography play complementary roles. MRI, on the other hand, has emerged as a useful tool in quantifying post-implantation paravalvular regurgitation.