Multimodality Imaging in the Management of Tricuspid Valve Regurgitation

Abstract

Approximately 5% of elderly patients suffer from moderate or severe tricuspid valve regurgitation, which is an independent predictor of high morbidity and mortality. Surgical treatment of isolated tricuspid valve regurgitation has been associated with elevated fatality rate, leading to a growing interest in minimal invasive, transcatheter-based therapies such as transcatheter edge-to-edge repair and transcatheter valve replacement. Nevertheless, despite high procedural efficacy and safety of transcatheter-based therapies, a number of challenges limit their rapid adoption in routine clinical practice. In particular, the wide range of transcatheter approaches to address the significant variability in tricuspid valve pathology challenges the reproducibility of clinical outcomes. Multimodality imaging is pivotal for grading the regurgitation severity, determining the underlying pathology, assessing RV function and pulmonary pressures, identifying concomitant cardiac disease, and selecting the most beneficial treatment modality and access. This article reviews the role of different imaging modalities in guiding the management of patients with significant tricuspid valve regurgitation.