Finding the right tests…
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Emergency services available 24 x 7
Finding the right tests…
CT Scan
CT TAVI is a contrast CT scan done before a transcatheter aortic valve implantation, a procedure that replaces a diseased aortic valve without open-heart surgery. The scan is not for diagnosing your heart condition; it is planning imaging done after that diagnosis, to measure the aortic valve opening, or annulus, and the aortic root above it. It also maps the blood vessels in your groin and pelvis that the surgical team will use to guide the new valve into place. These measurements decide which valve size fits your anatomy and which access route is safest. Your cardiologist orders this scan specifically because a TAVI procedure has already been planned.
This scan measures the exact size and shape of your aortic valve opening and the aorta just above it. It also checks the width and health of the arteries in your groin and pelvis. These numbers guide the size of replacement valve chosen and the safest way to deliver it.
TAVI stands for transcatheter aortic valve implantation, a way of replacing a damaged aortic valve by threading a new valve through a blood vessel instead of opening the chest. Before this procedure, the heart team needs precise measurements that only a CT scan with contrast dye can provide.
- The aortic annulus, the ring-shaped opening where the new valve will sit - The aortic root and the position of the coronary artery openings nearby - The width, calcium, and curve of the arteries in the groin and pelvis, which decide the access route
Choosing a valve that is too small or too large can lead to leakage around the valve or damage to the artery. Mapping the access vessels beforehand helps the team choose between an artery in the leg or an alternative route if the vessels are too narrow or heavily calcified.
This scan uses an iodine-based contrast dye, so tell your doctor about any past contrast reaction, kidney condition, or thyroid condition before the scan. It also involves radiation exposure, so let the centre know if there is any chance of pregnancy. This CT is planning imaging only; the valve replacement itself happens in a separate procedure.
No. This is a planning scan done before the procedure. The actual valve replacement happens separately, in a cath lab or operating theatre.
The dye highlights the aortic valve, the aorta, and the blood vessels used to access it, so the team can take accurate measurements. Tell your doctor if you have had a reaction to contrast before.
No. This scan is ordered after your cardiologist has already recommended TAVI. It measures your anatomy to plan the procedure, not to make the initial diagnosis.
TAVI is usually done by threading a catheter up through an artery, often in the groin, to reach the heart. The scan checks whether these vessels are wide and healthy enough for that route.
This page is general information about the test, not medical advice. Your own report's reference ranges apply — please discuss your results with your doctor.
It covers a larger area, from the chest down to the groin, so the radiation dose depends on that coverage. Your doctor will only order it when the benefit for planning your procedure outweighs the risk.
Contrast dye is processed by the kidneys, so tell your doctor about any kidney condition beforehand. They may adjust the scan or take extra precautions.
A routine cardiac CT looks broadly at heart structure and function. This scan is narrowly focused on valve and vessel measurements needed for a specific, already-planned procedure.