Assessment of atrial myocardial viability using spectral analysis of ultrasound
AssigneeThe Cleveland Clinic Foundation
InventorsRussell Fedewa, Oussama Wazni, Scott Anjewierden
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Abstract
Spectral parameters of ultrasound backscatter of myocardial tissue can be utilized to identify fibrosis and accurately assess myocardial viability during ablation procedures to treat atrial fibrillation. For example, a portion of myocardial tissue may be ultrasonically insonified, the backscatter signal of ultrasonic waves backscattered from the portion of myocardial tissue may be measured, a spectral parameter of the backscatter signal may be determined, the spectral parameter may be correlated with an electrical conductivity of the portion of myocardial tissue; and a treatment of the patient may be determined or adjusted based on the correlation.
Claims17
A method of treatment, comprising:
- ultrasonically insonifying a portion of myocardial tissue in a patient;
- measuring a backscatter signal of ultrasonic waves backscattered from the portion of myocardial tissue;
- determining a spectral parameter of the backscatter signal;
- correlating a value of the spectral parameter with an electrical conductivity of the portion of myocardial tissue;
- and
- adjusting a treatment of the patient based on the correlation.
A method of treating atrial fibrillation, comprising:
- ultrasonically insonifying a plurality of portions of myocardial tissue in a patient, each of the plurality of portions of myocardial tissue being at a different location of the myocardial tissue;
- for each of the plurality of portions of myocardial tissue:
- measuring a backscatter signal of ultrasonic waves backscattered from the corresponding portion of myocardial tissue;
- determining a spectral parameter of the corresponding backscatter signal;
- and
- correlating a value of the spectral parameter with an electrical conductivity of the corresponding portion of myocardial tissue;
- determining an ablation location based on the correlations, the ablation location being one of the plurality of portions of myocardial tissue;
- and
- ablating the myocardial tissue at the ablation location.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.