Virtual Heart Tissue Mapping for Arrhythmia Induction Risk
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for diagnosing and stratifying heart rhythm disorders are invasive, costly, or lack precision, particularly for early detection and prevention, necessitating a non-invasive and accurate risk assessment.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method using a 3D mapping of heart tissue points with local characteristics, simulating electric signal propagation, and clustering inducible sites to estimate heart rhythm disorder risk through virtual electrical stimulations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If clinical electrophysiology study (EPS) with invasive catheter-based ablation is used to diagnose and stratify heart rhythm disorder risk, then diagnostic precision and risk stratification accuracy are improved, but invasiveness, cost, and procedural complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual 3D replica of the patient's heart tissue structure and electrical properties, allowing simulation of arrhythmia induction without physical intervention. This virtual model copies the essential characteristics of the real heart tissue, enabling diagnostic procedures to be performed in silico rather than through invasive catheter-based EPS, thus maintaining diagnostic precision while eliminating invasiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical invasive catheter-based ablation and EPS system with a computational simulation system. Instead of physically inserting catheters into the heart to induce arrhythmias, the system uses computer-generated virtual stimuli applied to a digital model of the heart, substituting mechanical intervention with computational analysis to achieve the same diagnostic objectives
2Object-affected harmful factors
If noninvasive methods such as ECG analysis or cardiac image analysis are used to evaluate heart rhythm, then invasiveness is reduced, but measurement precision and detection accuracy deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from 2D surface-level analysis (ECG, cardiac images) to 3D volumetric analysis of the heart tissue. By reconstructing a three-dimensional model that incorporates depth information and spatial distribution of electrical properties, the system achieves more comprehensive and accurate detection of arrhythmia substrates that are not visible in traditional 2D projections, thereby improving detection accuracy while maintaining noninvasive operation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the heart tissue into numerous discrete 3D elements or voxels, each with its own electrical properties and structural characteristics. This segmentation allows for detailed analysis of local tissue heterogeneity, scar regions, and conduction pathways at a resolution much finer than what is achievable with bulk ECG or image analysis, enabling precise detection of arrhythmia-inducing structures without invasive procedures
3Reliability
If ICD placement is considered for patients with high SCD risk, then protection against sudden cardiac death is improved, but surgical risk and inappropriate shock rates increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary virtual simulation of arrhythmia induction and ICD shock response before actual ICD placement. By pre-testing the virtual heart model to identify inducible arrhythmias and predicting SCD risk, the system enables more informed decisions about ICD eligibility, potentially avoiding unnecessary surgical implantation in patients who would not benefit from the device, thus reducing surgical risk while maintaining reliable SCD protection for appropriate candidates
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
Provides a non-invasive, cost-effective, and risk-free method to assess heart rhythm disorder risk by identifying inducible sites and grouping them based on similar simulation outcomes, enabling precise risk stratification.
Implementation Method 1
simulating the propagation of electric signals in said mapping of points from each of a plurality of inducing locations within said mapping of points
Data Source
AI summary
The invention concerns a computer-implemented method for the estimation of a risk of heart rhythm disorder in a patient's heart, the method comprising: (S03) receiving a mapping of points (IH) representing a tissue of said heart and each being labelled with a value (Ti) and/or a classification (Ci) indicating a local characteristic; (S2) simulating the propagation of electric signals from inducing locations (ILj), to which is applied virtual induction protocol (IPk); (S3) detecting from each simulation outcome (EAMj,k) whether a self-sustained arrhythmia is induced; (S5) a step of clustering, from simulation outcomes (EAMj,k), inducible sites into groups (GI) of similar inducible sites; (S6) a step of computing, for each group (GI) of similar inducible sites (ILj) and from the number (N) of inducible sites of said group, a risk value (RVI) indicating whether a heart rhythm disorder can occur.