Electroanatomic mapping and radiofrequency ablation of porcine left atria and atrioventricular nodes using magnetic resonance catheter tracking.

Background: The MRI-compatible electrophysiology system previously used for MR-guided left ventricular electroanatomic mapping was enhanced with improved MR tracking, an MR-compatible radiofrequency ablation system and higher-resolution imaging sequences to enable mapping, ablation, and ablation monitoring in smaller cardiac structures. MR-tracked navigation was performed to the left atrium (LA) and atrioventricular (AV) node, followed by LA electroanatomic mapping and radiofrequency ablation of the pulmonary veins (PVs) and AV node.

Methods And Results: One ventricular ablation, 7 PV ablations, 3 LA mappings, and 3 AV node ablations were conducted.

Electroanatomic mapping of the left ventricle in a porcine model of chronic myocardial infarction with magnetic resonance-based catheter tracking.

Background: X-ray fluoroscopy constitutes the fundamental imaging modality for catheter visualization during interventional electrophysiology procedures. The minimal tissue discriminative capability of fluoroscopy is mitigated in part by the use of electroanatomic mapping systems and enhanced by the integration of preacquired 3-dimensional imaging of the heart with computed tomographic or magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. A more ideal paradigm might be to use intraprocedural MR imaging to directly image and guide catheter mapping procedures.

Transfemoral catheterization of carotid arteries with real-time MR imaging guidance in pigs.

All procedures and protocols were approved by the institutional animal care and use committee of Columbia University. To determine whether transfemoral catheterization of the carotid arteries can be performed entirely with real-time magnetic resonance (MR) imaging guidance, the authors catheterized the carotid arteries in six domestic pigs by using active-tracking catheters and guidewires and MR tracking software created for neurovascular procedures. The carotid arteries were successfully catheterized 24 times, on average within 5 minutes after insertion of the catheter into the femoral artery.