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Automatic Localization of Stable Highest Dominant Frequency Area in AF Patients Based on Spatial Aggregation
Tao Huang1, Yihang Jiang1, Xiaomei Wu1,2,3,4
1College of Biomedical Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China.
Bioengineering (Basel, Switzerland)
|May 27, 2026
Summary
Identifying stable highest dominant frequency (HDF) areas in the left atrium aids in pinpointing effective ablation targets for persistent atrial fibrillation (PeAF) patients, improving treatment outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Electrophysiology
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Persistent atrial fibrillation (PeAF) presents complex atrial electrical activity, challenging ablation target identification.
- Current ablation strategies often focus on pulmonary veins, potentially missing critical areas.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify spatiotemporally stable highest dominant frequency (HDF) areas in the left atrium for PeAF patients.
- To provide Electrophysiologists with a reliable method for locating ablation targets beyond pulmonary veins.
Main Methods:
- Left atrial electrograms (LA-EGMs) from PeAF patients were analyzed for dominant frequency (DF) using spectral estimation.
- Spatial aggregation techniques were employed to construct 3D DF distribution models and identify stable DF features.
- Highest dominant frequency (HDF) areas were automatically identified using patient-specific DF distribution thresholds.
Main Results:
- Spatial aggregation with 2 mm voxel size accurately modeled spatiotemporally stable DF distribution in 43 PeAF patients.
- The DF model successfully enabled automatic identification of stable HDF areas.
- Ablation at identified HDF sites in retrospective cases resulted in effective therapeutic outcomes for 72.1% of patients.
Conclusions:
- Recurring HDF areas in the left atrium are significant potential targets for PeAF ablation.
- This study offers a reliable foundation for personalized ablation target determination in PeAF management.
