Imaging a unicuspid aortic valve with transillumination

Unicuspid aortic valve (UAV) is a rare congenital malformation which portends an augmented risk of early valve degeneration. Timely detection of this cardiac valvular anomaly is crucial because a strict follow-up is warranted. Currently, the best morphological information is provided by two-dimensional echocardiography; however, its diagnostic performance has been found to be suboptimal by some anatomical features, making it tough to distinguish between UAV and bicuspid aortic valve. Transillumination is a photo-realism technique that employs the use of a virtual light source that simulates the interaction of light on 3-dimensional surfaces, improving the visualization of morphological characteristics. Our report highlights the incremental value of photo-realistic rendering and lighting source technology to better define the aortic valve morphology.