Systems and methods for analyzing biopotential morphologies in heart tissue to locate potential ablation sites

A processing element for analyzing biopotential morphologies in myocardial tissue to locate potential ablation sites comprising

• first means for inputting a template of a cardiac event of known diagnosis in a region of myocardial tissue,
• second means for inputting a first sample of paced biopotentials occurring in the tissue region as a result of pacing using a first technique at a known pacing site,
• third means for inputting a second sample of paced biopotentials occurring in the tissue region as a result of pacing at the known pacing site using a second technique different than the first technique,
• fourth means for electronically comparing each of the first and second samples individually to the template and generating first and second outputs based upon each comparison, each output comprising a matching factor indicating how alike the input sample is to the input template, and
• fifth means for comparing at least one of the matching factors to a predetermined value to determine whether the pacing site is a potential ablation site.

An element for analyzing biopotential morphologies in myocardial tissue to locate potential ablation sites comprising

• first means for inputting a template of a cardiac event of known diagnosis in a region of myocardial tissue,
• second means for inputting a sample of paced biopotentials occurring in the tissue region as a result of a pacing signal from a known pacing site,
• third means operative in a first mode for electronically comparing the sample to the template using a first comparison technique and generating a first output based upon the first comparison technique, the third means being further selectively operative in a second mode for electronically comparing the sample to the template using a second comparison technique different than the first comparison technique and generating a second output based upon the second comparison technique, the first and second output each comprising a matching factor indicating how alike the input sample is to the input template, and
• fourth means for comparing at least one of the matching factors to a predetermined value to determine whether the pacing site is a potential ablation site.

A system for analyzing biopotential morphologies in myocardial tissue to locate potential ablution sites comprising

• an array of multiple electrodes,
• an element adapted to support the multiple electrode array in operative association with a region of heart tissue, and
• a processing element coupled to the multiple electrode means comprising
• first means for conditioning the multiple electrodes on the array to sense at each electrode a sample of biopotentials occurring in the tissue region over time during a cardiac event of known diagnosis and for creating a template for each electrode based upon the sensed biopotential sample, the template for each electrode comprising a plot of variations in the sensed biopotential samples over time and not a spacial distribution of endocardial surface activation,
• second means for pacing the heart at a predetermined location while sensing at each electrode a paced biopotential sample of paced biopotentials occurring as a result pacing, the paced biopotentials sample for each electrode comprising a plot of variations in the paced biopotential samples over time and not a spacial distribution of endocardial surface activation,
• third means for comparing the paced biopotential samples sensed by each multiple electrode to the templates for each multiple electrode and generate an output comprising a matching factor indicating how alike the paced biopotential samples are to the templates, and
• fourth means for comparing the matching factor to a predetermined value to determine whether the pacing location is near a potential ablation site.

A method for analyzing biopotentials in myocardial tissue to locate potential ablation sites comprising the steps of

• inputting a template of a cardiac event of known diagnosis, the input template comprising a plot of variations in biopotentials over time and not a spacial distribution of endocardial surface activation,
• inputting a sample of a paced cardiac event triggered from a known pacing site, the input sample comprising a plot of variations in biopotentials over time and not a spacial distribution of endocardial surface activation, and
• electronically comparing the input sample to the input template and generating an output based upon the comparison, the output comprising a matching factor indicating how alike the input sample is to the input template, and
• comparing the matching factor to a predetermined value to determine whether the pacing site is a potential ablation site.

A method for analyzing biopotentials in myocardial tissue to locate potential ablation sites comprising the steps of

• inputting a template of an electrogram recorded during a cardiac event of known diagnosis, the input template comprising a plot of variations in biopotential over time and not a spacial distribution of endocardial surface activation,
• inputting a sample of a paced electrogram triggered from a known pacing site, the input sample comprising a plot of variations in biopotentials over time and not a spacial distribution of endocardial surface activation, and
• electronically comparing the input sample to the input template and generating an output based upon the comparison, the output comprising a matching factor indicating how alike the input sample is to the input template, and
• comparing the matching factor to a predetermined value to determine whether the pacing site is a potential ablation site.

A method for analyzing biopotential morphologies in myocardial tissue to locate potential ablation sites comprising the steps of

• positioning multiple electrode means for operative association with a region of heart tissue,
• conditioning the multiple electrode means to sense a sample of the biopotentials occurring in the tissue region during a cardiac event of known diagnosis,
• creating a template based upon the sensed biopotential sample comprising a plot of variations in the sensed biopotential over time and not a spacial distribution of endocardial surface activation,
• pacing the heart at a predetermined location while sensing with multiple electrode means,
• creating a paced biopotential sample comprising a plot of variations in the paced biopotentials occurring in the tissue region as a result of pacing over time and not a spacial distribution of endocardial surface activation,
• electronically comparing the paced biopotential sample to the template and generating an output based upon the comparison, the output comprising a matching factor indicating how alike the paced biopotential sample is to the template, and
• comparing the matching factor to a predetermined value to determine whether the pacing location is a potential ablation site.