Devices and methods for assessing the compliance of vessel lumens and hollow portions of organs are described. The devices and methods are particularly adapted for determining the compliance of the native heart valves to facilitate the later implantation of a prosthetic heart valve. The devices are typically catheter-based having an expandable member fixed to a distal end of the catheter. Located within the expandable member is an imaging member. The methods typically comprise deploying the balloon percutaneously to a target location, expanding the balloon, and determining the compliance of a lumen, particularly a cardiac valve. An optical coherence tomography apparatus is a preferred apparatus for determining compliance.
