Method for the three-dimensional localization of intramyocardial excitation centers using optical imaging

This study explores the possibility of localizing the excitation centers of electrical waves inside the heart wall using voltage-sensitive dyes (fluorescent or absorptive). In the present study, we propose a method for the 3-D localization of excitation centers from pairs of 2-D images obtained in two modes of observation: reflection and transillumination. Such images can be obtained using high-speed charge-coupled device (CCD) cameras and photodiode arrays with time resolution up to 0.5 ms. To test the method, we simulate optical signals produced by point sources and propagating ellipsoidal waves in 1-cm-thick slabs of myocardial tissue. Solutions of the optical diffusion equation are constructed by employing the method of images with Robin boundary conditions. The coordinates of point sources as well as of the centers of expanding waves can be accurately determined using the proposed algorithm. The method can be extended to depth estimations of the outer boundaries of the expanding wave. The depth estimates are based on ratios of spatially integrated images. The method shows high tolerance to noise and can give accurate results even at relatively low signal-to-noise ratios. In conclusion, we propose a novel and efficient algorithm for the localization of excitation centers in 3-D cardiac tissue.