Cinefluoroscopic identification of Bjork-Shiley prosthetic heart valves

Numerous mechanical prostheses are currently utilized for heart valve replacement. Fluoroscopy is a useful technique to identify prosthetic valves, to evaluate their function and to follow-up the patients' condition. Scattered and contrasting data, however, have been reported about the radiographic appearance of Bjork-Shiley heart valves. This study shows that each Bjork-Shiley valve model has characteristic radiographic features that can be readily determined by fluoroscopic evaluation, leading to easy and accurate non-invasive identification.