Visualization of cardiac wavefronts using data fusion
David B. Kynor, Anthony J. Dietz, Eric M. Friets, Jon N. Peterson, Ursula Bergstrom, John K. Triedman, Peter E. Hammer · Proceedings of SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering/Proceedings of SPIE · 2002
Catheter ablation has emerged as a highly effective treatment for arrhythmias that are constrained by known, easily located, anatomic landmarks. However, this treatment has enjoyed limited success for arrhythmias that are characterized by complex activation patterns or are not anatomically constrained. This class of arrhythmias, which includes atrial fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia resulting from ischemic heart disease, demands improved mapping tools. Current technology forces the cardiologist to view cardiac anatomy independently from the functional information contained in the electrical activation patterns. This leads to difficulties in interpreting the large volumes of data provided by high-density recording catheters and in mapping patients with abnormal anatomy (e.g., patients with congenital heart disease). The goal of this is work is development of new data processing and display algorithms that will permit the clinician to view activation sequences superimposed onto existing fluoroscopic images depicting the location of recording catheters within the heart. In cases where biplane fluoroscopic images and x-ray camera position data are available, the position of the catheters can be reconstructed in three-dimensions.