Modeling wave propagation in realistic heart geometries using the phase-field method

Area of Science:

• Computational Biology
• Biophysics
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Accurate modeling of cardiac electrical activity is crucial for understanding heart function and disease.
• Existing methods for simulating wave propagation in complex cardiac geometries face challenges with boundary condition handling.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a novel phase-field algorithm for modeling electrical wave propagation in anatomical heart models.
• To demonstrate the algorithm's ability to automatically handle boundary conditions in complex geometries.

Main Methods:

• The algorithm employs a phase-field approach, representing boundaries as diffuse interfaces.
• It ensures accurate convergence with no-flux boundary conditions as interface width diminishes.
• The method is validated on realistic models of rabbit and canine ventricles and human atria.

Main Results:

• The phase-field algorithm accurately models electrical wave propagation in complex cardiac geometries.
• It effectively handles no-flux boundary conditions without explicit boundary tracking.
• Successful application to anatomically realistic models of ventricles and atria was demonstrated.

Conclusions:

• The developed phase-field algorithm offers an efficient and accurate method for cardiac electrophysiology modeling.
• This approach simplifies the simulation of electrical wave propagation in intricate anatomical structures.
• The technique holds potential for advancing research in cardiac disease and treatment planning.