Mapping resolution of electrophysiological (EP) waves propagating across the surface of a patient's heart.

Abstract

To perform a cardiac electrophysiological mapping.SOLUTION: A method includes: receiving multiple electrophysiological (EP) signals acquired by multiple catheter electrodes in contact with tissue in a cardiac chamber region, and tissue locations at which the EP signals are acquired; selecting first and second electrodes, positioned at first and second tissue locations of first and second sections of the region; based on the acquired EP signals, calculating local activation time (LAT) values for the first and second tissue locations, first and second average LAT values for the first and second sections, and comparing the first and second average LAT values; determining first and second representative locations within the first and second sections, respectively; producing and displaying a propagation vector between the first and second representative locations and based on the comparison of the first and second average LAT values.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Claims

1. It is a system, It is a processor, (i) Multiple electrophysiological (EP) signals acquired by multiple electrodes of a multi-electrode catheter in contact with tissue within the region of the cardiac chamber, and (ii) reception of each tissue location where the electrodes acquired the EP signals. From among the plurality of electrodes, a first electrode is selected, which is positioned at each of the first tissue locations in the first section of the region, and a second electrode is selected, which is positioned at each of the second tissue locations in the second section of the region. Based on the EP signals obtained by the selected first and second electrodes, (i) local activation time (LAT) values ​​for each of the first and second tissue locations, (ii) a first average LAT value for the first section, and (iii) a second average LAT value for the second section are calculated and compared between the first average LAT value and the second average LAT value. Determine a first representative position within the first section and a second representative position within the second section. A processor is configured to generate a propagation vector indicating the propagation of the EP wave that generated the EP signal, based on the comparison between the first average LAT value and the second average LAT value between the first representative position and the second representative position. A display configured to present the aforementioned propagation vector to the user, A system that includes these features.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode together include a portion of the plurality of electrodes, and the first section and the second section together include (i) a portion of the region, and (ii) have a common boundary dividing them.

3. The processor (a) selects from the plurality of electrodes (i) a third electrode different from the first and second electrodes, which is located at each of the third tissue positions in the third section of the region, which is different from the first and second sections, and (ii) a fourth electrode different from the first, second and third electrodes, which is located at each of the fourth tissue positions in the fourth section of the region, which is different from the first, second and third sections, and (b) based on the EP signals obtained by the third and fourth electrodes, (i) the LAT values ​​of each of the third and fourth tissue positions, (ii) (iii) calculate a third average LAT value for the third section and a fourth average LAT value for the fourth section, compare the third average LAT value and the fourth average LAT value, (c) determine a third representative position and a fourth representative position in the third section and the fourth section, respectively, and (d) generate a given propagation vector between the third representative position and the fourth representative position, based on the comparison between the third average LAT value and the fourth average LAT value, the display being configured to present the given propagation vector to the user.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the processor is configured to superimpose one or both of the following onto the map of the cardiac chambers: (i) a first arrow indicating the propagation vector, and (ii) a second arrow indicating the given propagation vector.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the processor is configured to use graphic properties of (i) a first arrow indicating a first velocity of the EP wave between a first representative position and a second representative position, and (ii) a second arrow indicating a second velocity of the given EP wave between a third representative position and a fourth representative position.

6. A method for operating a system comprising a processor and a display, The processor receives (i) multiple electrophysiological (EP) signals acquired by multiple electrodes of a multi-electrode catheter in contact with tissue within the region of the cardiac chamber, and (ii) the respective tissue locations where the electrodes acquired the EP signals. The processor selects from among the plurality of electrodes a first electrode positioned at each of the first tissue locations in the first section of the region, and a second electrode positioned at each of the second tissue locations in the second section of the region. The processor calculates (i) local activation time (LAT) values ​​for each of the first and second tissue locations, (ii) a first average LAT value for the first section, and (iii) a second average LAT value for the second section, based on the EP signals obtained by the selected first and second electrodes, and the processor compares the first average LAT value with the second average LAT value. The processor determines a first representative position within the first section and a second representative position within the second section. The processor generates a propagation vector indicating the propagation of the EP wave that generated the EP signal, based on the comparison between the first average LAT value and the second average LAT value between the first representative position and the second representative position. The display presents the propagation vector to the user, The method of operation of the system, including the operation of the system.

7. A method of operating the system according to claim 6, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode together include a portion of the plurality of electrodes, and the first section and the second section (i) together include a portion of the region, and (ii) have a common boundary dividing them.

8. The processor selects from among the plurality of electrodes (i) a third electrode different from the first and second electrodes, which is located at each of the third tissue positions in the third section of the region, which is different from the first and second sections, and (ii) a fourth electrode different from the first, second and third electrodes, which is located at each of the fourth tissue positions in the fourth section of the region, which is different from the first, second and third sections, and the processor, based on the EP signals obtained by the third and fourth electrodes, (i) the LAT values ​​of each of the third and fourth tissue positions, ( ii) Calculate a third average LAT value for the third section and (iii) calculate a fourth average LAT value for the fourth section, and the processor compares the third average LAT value with the fourth average LAT value; the processor determines a third representative position and a fourth representative position within the third section and the fourth section, respectively; the processor generates a given propagation vector between the third representative position and the fourth representative position, based on the comparison between the third average LAT value and the fourth average LAT value, indicating a given propagation of a given EP wave that generated the EP signal; and the display presents the given propagation vector to the user. A method of operating the system according to claim 6, including the method described in claim 6.

9. A method of operating the system according to claim 8, wherein the processor superimposes on the map of the cardiac chambers one or both of the following: (i) a first arrow indicating the propagation vector, and (ii) a second arrow indicating the given propagation vector.

10. A method of operating the system according to claim 9, wherein the processor includes using graphic characteristics of (i) a first arrow indicating a first velocity of the EP wave between a first representative position and a second representative position, and (ii) a second arrow indicating a second velocity of the given EP wave between a third representative position and a fourth representative position.

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