For many patients with severe aortic stenosis—a condition in which the heart’s aortic valve becomes stiff and narrow—Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) has been a game changer. This minimally invasive procedure replaces a damaged heart valve without open-heart surgery, often helping patients recover more quickly and return to daily life sooner. Nearly 100,000 TAVR procedures were performed in the United States in 2023 alone.

However, even as TAVR has transformed heart care, the specialty behind it is one of medicine’s least gender diverse. Approximately 10 percent of board certified interventional cardiologists in the United States are women. When considering physicians who perform TAVR, the number is estimated to be below 5 percent.

Among that 5 percent is Logan Vincent, MD, an interventional cardiologist at Providence Heart Institute of Oregon. As one of the few women in this highly specialized field, Dr. Vincent is passionate not only about caring for patients but also about helping more women see a future for themselves in this specialty area. While pregnant with her second child, she helped lead new Providence research examining a key concern for women considering careers in this field: radiation exposure during TAVR procedures.

Read about the study and its findings below. Or check out the peer-reviewed paper in the Journal of the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions.

Understanding TAVR providers' potential radiation concerns

Interventional cardiologists rely on real-time X-ray imaging to guide procedures like TAVR. For patients, a one-time exposure during a procedure carries very little risk. Radiation from TAVR is kept extremely low and is carefully controlled, and providers wear protective equipment. 

However, previous research has found that concerns about frequent and long-term exposure for providers in this field, particularly during pregnancy, have discouraged some women from pursuing careers in interventional cardiology. 

One study published in 2024 found that among women younger than 40 years of age, the most commonly identified barrier to not choosing careers in these areas was radiation exposure and potential hazards to the fetus.

New evidence offers reassurance

To evaluate these concerns, Dr. Vincent partnered with researchers from Providence Heart Institute of Oregon and Providence CARDS to examine radiation exposure during nearly 9,000 TAVR procedures performed across Providence’s seven-state health system between 2018 and 2022. The study is one of the largest of its kind, powered by a combination of CARDS’ large-scale data analysis and research acumen and Dr. Vincent’s clinical expertise.

“This research provides an important real-world look at radiation exposure during TAVR procedures and the factors that influence it,” explains Dr. Vincent. “Our findings should provide reassurance for anyone considering a career in interventional cardiology—especially women who may have more concerns about radiation safety.”

The findings were reassuring. Overall radiation exposure during TAVR procedures was low, and researchers identified several modifiable factors that can help further reduce exposure. While future research will help strengthen these findings, this study offers additional reassurance for the workforce of today and tomorrow. 

For patients, this reinforces the well-established fact that TAVR is a safe treatment option. For physicians and especially women considering a career in structural heart interventions, it provides valuable evidence that radiation exposure in this field is well-managed and low.

As the use of TAVR continues to grow, so does the need for skilled specialists. By addressing a key barrier, this research is helping open the door for more women to enter and lead in this vital area of heart care.

Read about the study and its findings below. Or check out the peer-reviewed paper in the Journal of the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions.

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