Electroanatomical Map Re-Annotation for Cardiac Arrhythmia Diagnosis

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current cardiac mapping technologies face challenges in accurately identifying and correcting local activation times (LATs) in electroanatomical maps, leading to incorrect representations of cardiac electrical activity, which can hinder the diagnosis and treatment of arrhythmias.

Innovation Solution

A method and system that utilize an intracardiac catheter with multiple electrodes to process signals and identify local activation times, generate an electroanatomical map, select a subset of mapping points, and update the map to display corrected LATs by identifying a time range and outlying points with later activation times, using algorithms like majority voting.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If automatic LAT identification algorithms are used to generate electroanatomical maps, then map generation speed is improved, but measurement precision of LAT values deteriorates due to incorrect identifications

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemap generation speedVSAvoidLAT value accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements a feedback mechanism where the processing module receives LAT identification results from the mapping module and automatically detects outlying values. When outliers are detected, the system feeds back correction signals to update the electroanatomical map, creating a closed-loop system that continuously improves accuracy without manual intervention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The processing module performs self-correction by automatically identifying and correcting outlying LAT values using algorithms that compare LAT values across multiple electrodes. The system serves itself by detecting and fixing its own errors without requiring external manual review, maintaining both speed and accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Measurement precision

If manual review and correction of LAT values is performed, then measurement precision is improved, but productivity decreases due to time-consuming corrections

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveLAT value accuracyVSAvoidmap generation speed
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs automatic self-correction of LAT values through the processing module, which identifies outlying values and generates corrected maps without requiring manual physician review. This eliminates time-consuming manual corrections while maintaining high accuracy through algorithmic outlier detection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The processing module acts as an intermediary between automatic LAT identification and final map generation. It mediates by filtering out erroneous LAT values before they are incorporated into the final electroanatomical map, preventing incorrect data from reaching the output stage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Measurement precision

If outlier detection algorithms are applied to all mapping points, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveLAT value accuracyVSAvoidprocessing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The processing module applies outlier detection selectively to specific regions of the electroanatomical map rather than uniformly across all points. By focusing computational resources on areas with detected outliers or anatomically significant regions, the system maintains high precision where needed while reducing overall processing complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of applying comprehensive outlier detection to every single mapping point, the system performs partial action by targeting only those points identified as potential outliers through preliminary analysis. This approach achieves sufficient precision without the excessive computational burden of exhaustive analysis of all data points.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP3777659B1Electroanatomical map re-annotation
Publication Date: 2024.08.14 BIOSENSE WEBSTER (ISRAEL) LTD
  • EP3777659B1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP3777659B1 patent drawingFigure 1B~2
  • EP3777659B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A method, including receiving from mapping electrodes positioned at locations within a heart, signals indicating electrical activity in tissue contacting the electrodes, and processing the signals to identify, for each location, at least one corresponding LAT in a cycle of a heart. For each location, an earliest LAT in the cycle is identified, and an electroanatomical map including mapping points having respective locations and showing the earliest LAT at each location is generated and rendered. An input selecting a subset of the points is received, and a time range containing the earliest LAT of a majority of the points in the subset is identified. One or more outlying points in the subset are identified, and a second LAT, later than the earliest LAT in the cycle is found among the at least one identified LAT identified at the outlying points. The map is updated to display the found second LAT.