This technology is an ultrasound cardiac imaging technique that accurately generates 3D electromechanical activation maps of a beating heart for the diagnosis and treatment of cardiac arrhythmias
Unmet Need: Non-invasive method to locate arrhythmias in a beating heart
Diagnosis and treatment of cardiac arrhythmias require accurate characterization of irregularities in electromechanical activation. 3D imaging of electrical activity within the myocardium enables physicians to locate and monitor the pathological regions that may be targeted pharmacologically or by cardiac ablation. Current approaches for spatially resolving arrhythmias involve catheter probing of the endocardial wall, a procedure that is invasive, time-consuming, and limited by the accessibility of the lesion.
The Technology: Ultrasound-based imaging for 3D mapping of electromechanical activation within the myocardium
This non-invasive imaging method takes a series of ultrasound images of multiple areas within a heart chamber that are used to generate an anatomically accurate 3D electrical activity map of a beating heart. Electromechanical activation times are interpolated from each point within the image that are then put into a matrix that can be exported and analyzed in any third-party 3D-rendering software. This powerful imaging technique may be used for the diagnosis and monitoring of cardiac arrhythmias as well as disorders such as Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome or pre-ventricular contraction. Furthermore, this platform may be used to inform cardiac ablation targeting strategies and treatment plans.
This technology has been validated in canine models of arrhythmic pathologies.
Applications:
- Generation of 3D electromechanical maps of a beating heart
- Diagnosis of heart arrhythmias
- Determination of spatial distribution of abnormal electrical activation within an arrhythmic heart
- Guiding cardiac ablation treatment strategies
- Monitoring of cardiac rhythm pathologies such as Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome or pre-ventricular contraction
Advantages:
- Non-invasive
- High resolution
- Time-efficient
- Anatomically accurate electromechanical activation maps
- Expanded access to tissue
Lead Inventor:
Elisa Konofagou, Ph.D.
Patent Information:
Patent Status
Related Publications:
Grondin J, Wang D, Grubb CS, Trayanova N, Konofagou EE. “4D cardiac electromechanical activation imaging” Comput Biol Med. 2019 Aug 6; 113: 103382.
Melki L, Grubb CS, Weber R, Nauleau P, Garan H, Wan E, Silver ES, Liberman L, Konofagou EE. “Localization of Accessory Pathways in Pediatric Patients With Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome Using 3D-Rendered Electromechanical Wave Imaging” JACC Clin Electrophysiol. 2019 Apr; 5(4): 427-437.
Costet A, Wan E, Melki L, Bunting E, Grondin J, Garan H, Konofagou E. “Non-invasive Characterization of Focal Arrhythmia with Electromechanical Wave Imaging in Vivo” Ultrasound Med Biol. 2018 Nov; 44(11): 2241-2249.
Nauleau P, Melki L, Wan E, Konofagou E. “Technical Note: A 3-D rendering algorithm for electromechanical wave imaging of a beating heart” Med Phys. 2017 Sep; 44(9): 4766-4772.
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