Prognostic Value of Tricuspid Valve Geometry and Leaflet Coaptation Status in Patients Undergoing Tricuspid Annuloplasty: A Three-Dimensional Echocardiography Study

Multimodality cardiac imaging and new display options to broaden our understanding of the tricuspid valve

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The prognostic impact of tricuspid regurgitation (TR) and the subsequent development of percutaneous procedures targeting the tricuspid valve (TV), has brought to the forefront the role of imaging for the assessment of the forgotten valve. As illustrated in several studies and summarized in this review, currently a multimodality imaging approach is required to understand the pathophysiology of TR, due to the complex TV anatomy and the close relationship between the severity of TR and the extent of the remodeling of the right heart chambers.

RECENT FINDINGS

Recently, the advance in the tranhscatheter treatment of the TV has led to a growing interest in the development of dedicated software packages and new display modalities to increase our understanding of the TV. As a consequence, a transversal knowledge of the different imaging modalities is required for contemporary cardiac-imaging physicians.

SUMMARY

This review highlights the main features, and the pros and cons of echocardiography, cardiac computed tomography, cardiac magnetic resonance and emerging technologies, as 3D printing and virtual reality, in the assessment of patients with TR.

The Year in Perioperative Echocardiography: Selected Highlights From 2019

This article is the fourth of an annual series reviewing the research highlights of the year pertaining to the subspecialty of perioperative echocardiography for the Journal of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesia. The authors thank the editor-in-chief, Dr. Kaplan, and the editorial board, for the opportunity to continue this series. In most cases, these were research articles that were targeted at the perioperative echocardiography diagnosis and treatment of patients after cardiothoracic surgery; but in some cases, these articles targetted the use of perioperative echocardiography in general.

Role of 3-Dimensional Echocardiography in the Comprehensive Evaluation of the Tricuspid Valve in Patients With Tricuspid Regurgitation

Three-dimensional echocardiography is one of the most promising methods for the diagnosis of valvular heart disease, and recently has become an essential clinical tool owing to the continued development of real-time transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) technology. And now an era of renewed interest and enthusiasm surrounding the diagnosis and treatment of valvular heart disease has come, which is driven by emerging trans-catheter procedures. Nonetheless, little or no attention has been given to the treatment of tricuspid regurgitation (TR). The application of 3D-TEE is useful for simultaneous visualization of all 3 leaflets in order to grasp the whole picture of the tricuspid valve (TV; “en face” view). The implications of 3-D assessment of TV annulus, leaflets, and morphology involve an improved understanding of both the mechanics and treatment of TR. This method has been useful for surgical management, including accurate measurement of tricuspid annular diameter and prediction of the post-surgical outcome. Moreover, this method may be indispensable for detailed and comprehensive evaluation of the TV in patients with TR who are candidates for trans-catheter tricuspid procedures. In addition, color Doppler 3D-TEE has been valuable to identify the location of the regurgitant orifice and the severity of the TR. It is now clear that this method will enhance the diagnosis and management of TR patients.