Non-contact Cardiac Mapping with Spatial Electrode Arrays

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional cardiac mapping techniques, both contact and non-contact, face challenges such as time-consuming data acquisition, signal degradation, and reduced accuracy due to the need for multiple electrode placements and complex signal transformations, especially in unstable or transient arrhythmias.

Innovation Solution

A non-contact cardiac mapping method using a catheter with multiple spatially distributed electrodes that measures signals while spaced from the endocardium surface, determining physiological information by synchronizing and processing signals from multiple positions, applying transformation functions to improve accuracy and resolution.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If contact-based sequential mapping is used to acquire physiological signals, then measurement precision is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to time-consuming sequential data acquisition

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesignal acquisition accuracyVSAvoiddata acquisition speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The heart chamber volume is segmented into multiple discrete locations, each assigned a specific electrode from the catheter array. This allows simultaneous measurement at multiple locations rather than sequential sampling, dramatically increasing data acquisition speed while maintaining measurement precision through dedicated electrode-position mapping.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Multiple electrode measurements that would traditionally be performed sequentially are merged into a single simultaneous measurement event. The catheter array with multiple electrodes captures physiological signals from multiple heart chamber locations at the same time, transforming a sequential process into a parallel one.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Productivity

If non-contact mapping with multiple electrodes is used to increase productivity, then data acquisition speed is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates due to signal degradation with distance from endocardium

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereconstruction speedVSAvoidsignal accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

A computational transformation function acts as an intermediary between the non-contact electrode measurements and the endocardial surface physiology. This mathematical mediator reconstructs the physiological signals at the endocardium by accounting for the distance and geometric relationship between the catheter electrodes and the heart surface, thereby recovering measurement precision despite physical separation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The physical contact requirement between electrodes and endocardium is replaced with a computational model. Instead of mechanically contacting the tissue to ensure signal fidelity, the system uses mathematical transformations that account for the spatial relationship between non-contact electrodes and the endocardial surface, substituting physical contact with computational correction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Measurement precision

If complex transformation functions are applied to reconstruct endocardial physiology from non-contact signals, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereconstructed map accuracyVSAvoidcomputation complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The complex transformation functions are pre-computed and stored in a library before the actual mapping procedure. During the procedure, the system simply retrieves and applies the appropriate pre-computed transformation based on the measured catheter position and orientation, rather than performing complex real-time calculations. This preliminary preparation reduces device complexity during operation while maintaining reconstruction accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Measurement precision

If contact-based mapping is used to maintain measurement precision, then signal acquisition accuracy is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to cumbersome catheter movement and unstable arrhythmias

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesignal fidelityVSAvoidcatheter manipulation difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The mechanical process of manually manipulating the catheter to achieve stable contact at multiple locations is replaced with a computational system. The non-contact catheter can be freely positioned without requiring precise manual alignment, and the computational transformation automatically handles the relationship between catheter position and endocardial physiology, dramatically improving ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS9730602B2Cardiac mapping

Publication Date: 2017.08.15 BOSTON SCIENTIFIC SCIMED INC

AI summary

A non-contact cardiac mapping method is disclosed that includes: (i) inserting a catheter into a heart cavity having an endocardium surface, the catheter including multiple, spatially distributed electrodes; (ii) measuring signals at the catheter electrodes in response to electrical activity in the heart cavity with the catheter spaced from the endocardium surface; and (iii) determining physiological information at multiple locations of the endocardium surface based on the measured signals and positions of the electrodes with respect to the endocardium surface. Related systems and computer programs are also disclosed.