Basket Catheter Electrode Segmentation for Cardiac Mapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cardiac mapping technologies face limitations in resolving fine spatial detail and maintaining electrode contact with the heart chamber, and they lack dynamic visualization of time-varying cardiac parameters, making it difficult for clinicians to accurately locate aberrant cardiac regions for ablation procedures.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a bundle of electrodes positioned within the heart to measure and record electrical signals, compute variability of time-varying parameters, and display this variability graphically on a cardiac image, allowing for dynamic visualization and tracking of changes over time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a basket catheter with multiple electrodes is used for global mapping, then simultaneous measurement at multiple positions is improved, but the ability to resolve fine spatial detail deteriorates due to electrodes being spaced too far apart
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter is divided into multiple segments or sections, each containing electrodes. This segmentation allows for both simultaneous measurement across multiple positions and finer spatial resolution within each segment, resolving the contradiction between productivity and measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from 2D mapping to 3D mapping by incorporating spatial coordinates and depth information. This dimensional enhancement allows electrodes to be positioned more densely in three-dimensional space, improving spatial detail resolution while maintaining simultaneous multi-position measurement capability.
2Measurement precision
If more electrodes are added to improve spatial resolution, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases due to more wires required for connection
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple electrodes are merged onto a single catheter shaft, sharing common connection pathways and signal processing circuits. This merging reduces the number of external wires and connectors needed, thereby decreasing device complexity while maintaining high electrode density for improved spatial resolution.
Solution Approach 2:
The catheter is designed with multi-functional capabilities, where a single device structure serves both as the mechanical support and as part of the electrical connection system. This universality reduces the need for separate dedicated wires for each electrode, simplifying the overall device architecture.
3Ease of operation
If manual manipulation of catheters is used for mapping, then ease of operation is maintained, but productivity decreases due to time-consuming sequential measurements
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter system incorporates dynamic positioning capabilities, allowing the operator to manually manipulate the catheter while the system dynamically adjusts measurements and displays in real-time. This dynamic response maintains ease of manual operation while significantly improving productivity through automated data acquisition and processing across multiple electrodes simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides real-time feedback through visual displays showing electrical activity from multiple electrodes simultaneously. This feedback mechanism allows operators to make informed manual adjustments quickly, maintaining operational flexibility while accelerating the mapping process by eliminating the need for sequential manual exploration.
4Device complexity
If electrodes are positioned farther apart to simplify device design, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision deteriorates due to inability to resolve fine spatial detail
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter employs a nested configuration where multiple electrodes are arranged in concentric patterns or layered structures along the catheter shaft. This nesting allows electrodes to be positioned in a compact space with effective spacing optimized for both device simplicity and high spatial resolution measurements.
Solution Approach 2:
The catheter utilizes flexible materials and thin-film electrode technologies that allow dense electrode placement without increasing overall device complexity. The flexibility enables compact electrode arrangements that maintain simple device architecture while achieving fine spatial detail resolution through closely spaced electrodes.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach provides a detailed, dynamic display of cardiac parameter variability, enabling clinicians to more accurately identify and characterize aberrant cardiac regions, thereby improving the precision of ablation procedures and reducing reliance on manual manipulation of catheters.
Implementation Method 1
measuring a plurality of electrical signals from an endocardium
Data Source
AI summary
A method and device for monitoring heart behavior. In particular, a visual aid for clinician in which regions of the heart having aberrant characteristics can be displayed. A number of electrodes are positioned near/on an endocardium; electrical signals from the electrodes are monitored and recorded. A variability of a time varying parameter is calculated from each electrode location and displayed on a cardiac image. A user can select the parameter and measurement properties of the parameter, wherein the variability of the parameter is displayed and aberrant behavior can be detected.