[Usefulness of Electroanatomical Mapping in Rhythmology]

Usefulness of Electroanatomical Mapping in Rhythmology Abstract. Atrial fibrillation is the most common arrhythmia and its prevalence is rising. Therapeutic options include drug treatment and interventional catheter ablation via pulmonary vein isolation (PVI). This procedure was associated with long fluoroscopy times which carried risks for patients and physicians. Electroanatomical mapping (EAM) is a tool to visualize anatomy, voltage and activation of the heart chambers. Current EAM systems used in clinical practice include CARTO®, EnSite NavX® and Rhythmia®. Magnetic fields and impendance approaches are used to create 3D shells of the chambers. The catheter can be used to either collect electrograms or to ablate the target tissue. When using EAM, fluoroscopy time is significantly decreased, and complications can be monitored. Images from CT, MRI or intracardiac echo can be used as a template for creating a map or merged with an existing map to enhance anatomic accuracy.