Radial-Sectional CT for Tricuspid Valve Intervention Planning: A 4-Patient Clinical Case Series.

BACKGROUND

Isolated tricuspid regurgitation (TR) is an independent mortality predictor. Despite improved surgical outcomes, complex tricuspid valve anatomy makes precise repair challenging. We evaluated the utility of computed tomography (CT) with radial-sectional view (RSV) for procedural planning and postoperative assessment.

CASE SERIES: Four patients with severe TR underwent surgical repair. Preoperative CT-RSV, generated using standard imaging workstations, provided a comprehensive anatomical map. Radial planes centered on the septal leaflet visualized coaptation gaps with anterior/posterior leaflets, the location of prolapse, and the severity of tethering. This "virtual surgery" enabled individualized strategies. In all cases, tricuspid valve repair was performed according to CT-based planning, resulting in marked reduction of TR.

CONCLUSIONS

CT-RSV provides a reproducible and accessible roadmap. By detailing septal-centric anatomy, it facilitates clearer visualization of leaflet and subvalvular structures compared with transesophageal echocardiography and enables reproducible quantitative assessment, thereby supporting individualized surgical planning and informing treatment strategy selection.