Comparative imaging of cardiac structures and function for the optimization of transcatheter approaches for valvular and structural heart disease.

The detailed assessment of cardiac anatomy using multiple imaging modalities is essential to understand the high degree of variations that exist in human hearts (i.e., with and without pathologies). Additionally, such information should provide one with important insights regarding which imaging modality will best provide the required visualization of device placement via a given transcatheter approach. We describe here an unique set of such studies performed on either preserved heart specimens or within reanimated large mammalian hearts, including human (using Visible Heart(®) methodologies). Such anatomical and device-tissue interface knowledge is critical for both design engineers and clinicians that seek to develop and/or employ less invasive cardiac repair approaches for patients with acquired or congenital structural heart defects.