Stereotactic Arrhythmia Radioablation: An Emerging Technique for the Treatment of Ventricular Tachycardia

Ventricular tachycardia (VT) in patients with structural heart disease is a significant cause of both morbidity and mortality. Current treatment options for VT include the implantation of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators, anti-arrhythmic medications, and catheter ablation. Although implantable cardioverter-defibrillators can terminate arrhythmias by delivering shocks, they do not address the underlying cause and may even contribute to recurrence or cause discomfort for the patient. Anti-arrhythmic drugs may reduce the frequency of VT episodes but are often associated with various side effects. Catheter ablation can effectively eliminate the arrhythmogenic substrate, but it is an invasive procedure and not always successful. Recent studies have investigated stereotactic arrhythmia radioablation as a potential alternative, offering a less invasive, effective, and well-tolerated treatment by using photons, protons, and carbon ions to target and destroy arrhythmic tissue externally. This review aims to examine the current evidence and potential clinical applications of stereotactic arrhythmia radioablation.