Comprehensive evaluation of patients with suspected prosthetic heart valve disorders using MDCT.
OBJECTIVE
Early diagnosis of prosthetic valve disorders is very important in reducing morbidity and mortality of patients with a replaced heart valve. Recently, MDCT has become an important noninvasive problem-solving tool in clinical practice. This article will introduce the scanning technique, interpretation algorithm, and image findings of many valvular and extravalvular diagnoses.


CONCLUSIONS
With proper scanning technique and interpretation, MDCT can be a powerful technique for prosthetic heart valve evaluation.
Department of Radiology, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung Harbor Rd., No. 160, Sec. 3, Taichung 407, Taiwan.
Wei-Lin
WL
Tsai
I-Chen
IC
Tsai
Min-Chi
MC
Chen
Wan-Chun
WC
Liao
Yen
Y
Chang
D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*