Is single-view fluoroscopy sufficient in guiding cardiac ablation procedures?

The CARTO XP ablation system provides real-time data on 3D, color-coded maps of the electrical activity of the heart; however, it is expensive and can only use a dedicated costly magnetic catheter per patient intervention. The purpose of our study is to shorten the duration of the radiofrequency ablation procedure and increase its efficacy by developing an affordable prototype catheter navigation system that simulates the CARTO system. To obtain 3D geometrical data from catheter locations inside the heart chamber, we acquired only single-view images using an Integris Allura fluoroscope and estimated the depth of the mapping electrode using pattern recognition techniques. Validation was performed in ideal and clinical conditions. For phantom experiment, when using a 7-French catheter, the average recovered depth error was 2.05 +/- 1.46 mm using a single image. However, when using the 8-French catheter, the average recovered depth error was 1.54 +/- 1.29 mm. In clinical experimentation, the standard error of estimate for the estimated depth was about 13.1 mm and 10.1 mm, respectively, for the posterior and lateral views. In conclusion, this paper describes our achievements and shortfalls in developing an affordable fluoroscopic navigation system to guide RF catheter ablation of cardiac arrhythmias.