Objectives: Retrospective ECG-gated multidetector-row computed tomography (MDCT) is increasingly used for the assessment of prosthetic heart valve (PHV) dysfunction, but is also hampered by PHV-related artefacts/cardiac arrhythmias. Furthermore, it is performed without nitroglycerine or heart rate correction. The purpose was to determine whether MDCT performed before potential redo-PHV surgery is feasible for concomitant coronary artery stenosis assessment and can replace invasive coronary angiography (CAG). Methods: PHV patients with CAG and MDCT were identified. Based on medical history, two groups were created: (I) patients with no known coronary artery disease (CAD), (II) patients with known CAD. All images were scored for the presence of significant (>50 %) stenosis. CAG was the reference test. Results: Fifty-one patients were included. In group I (n = 38), MDCT accurately ruled out significant stenosis in 19/38 (50 %) patients, but could not replace CAG in the remaining 19/38 (50 %) patients due to non-diagnostic image quality (n = 16) or significant stenosis (n = 3) detection. In group II (n = 13), MDCT correctly found no patients without significant stenosis, requiring CAG imaging in all. MDCT assessed patency in 16/19 (84 %) grafts and detected a hostile anatomy in two. Conclusion: MDCT performed for PHV dysfunction assessment can replace CAG (100 % accurate) in approximately half of patients without previously known CAD. Key Points: • Retrospective MDCT is increasingly used for prosthetic heart valve dysfunction assessment • In case of PHV reoperation, invasive coronary angiography is also required • MDCT can replace CAG in 50 % of patients without coronary artery disease • When conclusive for coronary assessment, MDCT stenosis rule out is highly accurate • Replacing CAG saves associated risks of distant embolization of thrombi or vegetations

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doi.org/10.1007/s00330-014-3551-9, hdl.handle.net/1765/86192
European Radiology: journal of the European Congress of Radiology
Erasmus MC: University Medical Center Rotterdam

Tanis, W., Suchá, D., Laufer, W., Habets, J., van Herwerden, L., Symersky, P., … Budde, R. (2015). Multidetector-row computed tomography for prosthetic heart valve dysfunction: is concomitant non-invasive coronary angiography possible before redo-surgery?. European Radiology: journal of the European Congress of Radiology, 25(6), 1623–1630. doi:10.1007/s00330-014-3551-9