Patient-Specific Cardiac Electrical Parameter Estimation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for selecting patients for cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) are inadequate, as 30-50% of eligible patients do not respond to the treatment, highlighting the need for improved patient-specific electrical property estimation and visualization to enhance therapy planning and selection.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that estimate and visualize patient-specific electrical properties of the heart using cardiac electrophysiology models from medical images and body surface potential measurements, generating personalized anatomical models and simulating cardiac electrophysiology to adjust parameters for therapy planning and guidance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If standard patient selection criteria for CRT are used, then treatment eligibility can be determined, but 30-50% of patients do not respond to therapy due to inadequate patient-specific electrical property assessment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms standard ECG measurements into personalized electrical parameter maps by changing the representation parameters from global time-domain signals to spatially-resolved electrical properties (conductivity, diffusivity, action potential duration) across the heart geometry, enabling precise patient-specific electrical characterization
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a digital twin or virtual model of the patient's heart by copying and reconstructing the electrical properties from measured ECG data onto a geometric model, allowing virtual testing of therapy scenarios before actual treatment
2Device complexity
If uniform electrical parameters are assumed across the heart, then modeling complexity is reduced, but local pathologies cannot be captured
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by estimating spatially-varying electrical parameters at different locations across the heart geometry, allowing each region to have its own electrical properties (conductivity, diffusivity, action potential duration) that reflect local tissue characteristics and pathologies
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the heart into discrete elements or nodes where electrical parameters are independently estimated, transforming the continuous electrical field into a discretized representation that can be computed from ECG measurements
3Measurement precision
If comprehensive patient-specific electrical modeling is performed, then therapy planning accuracy is improved, but computational time and data processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by pre-processing ECG data to extract features and pre-computing the geometric model and transfer matrices before the actual parameter estimation, reducing computational burden during the main estimation phase
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses feedback by iteratively adjusting electrical parameters based on the difference between simulated and measured ECG signals, refining the parameter estimates through multiple passes until convergence is achieved
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems for estimating patient-specific cardiac electrical properties from medical image data and non-invasive electrocardiography measurements of a patient are disclosed. A patient-specific anatomical heart model is generated from medical image data of a patient. Patient-specific cardiac electrical properties are estimated by simulating cardiac electrophysiology over time in the patient-specific anatomical heart model using a computational cardiac electrophysiology model and adjusting cardiac electrical parameters based on the simulation results and the non-invasive electrocardiography measurements. A patient-specific cardiac electrophysiology model with the patient-specific cardiac electrical parameters can then be used to perform virtual cardiac electrophysiology interventions for planning and guidance of cardiac electrophysiology interventions.