Electroanatomical Mapping System Signal Filtering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cardiac mapping technologies face challenges in generating high-quality, dense, and rapid cardiac geometries and electrophysiology maps, particularly due to issues like catheter movement into unintended regions during procedures, which affects the accuracy and reliability of data collection.
Innovation Solution
An electroanatomical mapping system that receives electrophysiology data points, defines windows of interest and exclusion based on signal parameters like maximum peak-to-peak voltage, and adds data points to the map only when they meet specific inclusion criteria, ensuring accurate anatomical and electrophysiology mapping.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a multi-electrode catheter is used to gather data points for cardiac mapping, then the density and quality of the map improve, but the risk of catheter movement into unintended regions increases, reducing data reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes data points collected from unintended regions by comparing electrogram signals between a window of interest and a window of exclusion. Data points are rejected if they exhibit characteristics of ventricular signals (high voltage in exclusion window) rather than atrial signals, thereby separating useful data from contaminated data without requiring perfect catheter positioning
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring electrogram signal characteristics and using real-time comparison between inclusion and exclusion windows to dynamically determine whether to accept or reject data points. This feedback mechanism allows the system to adapt to catheter movement and maintain data quality throughout the procedure
2Productivity
If electrophysiology data points are collected continuously during catheter movement, then productivity increases, but measurement precision deteriorates due to inclusion of irrelevant data from unintended regions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by collecting more data points than traditionally necessary (continuous collection during catheter movement) and then filtering to the appropriate subset. This approach maintains high productivity during data collection while ensuring precision through selective inclusion based on electrogram signal characteristics
Solution Approach 2:
The system extracts only the relevant portion of collected data by comparing electrogram signals against inclusion/exclusion criteria. Data points from unintended regions are removed through signal comparison, retaining only those that meet the precision requirements for the target anatomical region
3Reliability
If traditional filtering methods are used to remove irrelevant data points, then data reliability improves, but the complexity of the mapping system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-service filtering by automatically comparing electrogram signals against predefined inclusion/exclusion criteria without requiring manual intervention. The electrogram characteristics themselves provide the filtering mechanism, eliminating the need for complex external filtering systems or manual data review
Data Source
AI summary
When generating anatomical maps (e.g., anatomical geometries and/or electrophysiology maps), it can be desirable to analyze whether or not a collected data point was collected from a region of interest. During an electrophysiology study, for example, an electroanatomical mapping system collects electrophysiology data points, each including an electrogram signal. By defining both a window of interest and a window of exclusion within the electrogram signal, the electroanatomical mapping system can analyze collected data points to determine whether or not they should be included in a map. In particular, the electroanatomical mapping system can compare the electrophysiology signal within the window of interest and the window of exclusion with respect to at least one signal parameter and add the data point to the map if the comparison satisfies at least one corresponding inclusion criterion. Applicable signal parameters include maximum peak-to-peak voltage, conduction velocity, and electrogram morphology.