Key result
Vector Field Heterogeneity outperforms the classical Spatial Inhomogeneity Index in capturing heterogeneous propagation wavefronts.
Why the study?
Impaired cardiac tissue is often characterized by abnormal electrical conduction causing locally disorganized propagation wavefronts, creating a need to quantify this disorganization using high-density multielectrode catheters.
A novel Vector Field Heterogeneity metric improves the quantification of disorganized cardiac electrical propagation wavefronts, showing promise for use with new-generation high-density multielectrode catheters.
May refine wavefront analysis in animal models; leaves open human validation before clinical catheter use.
High-density multielectrode catheters are becoming increasingly popular in cardiac electrophysiology for advanced characterisation of the cardiac tissue, due to their potential to identify impaired sites. These are often characterised by abnormal electrical conduction, which may cause locally disorganised propagation wavefronts. To quantify it, a novel heterogeneity parameter based on vector field analysis is proposed, utilising finite differences to measure direction changes between adjacent cliques. The proposed Vector Field Heterogeneity metric has been evaluated on a set of simulations with controlled levels of organisation in vector maps, and a variety of grid sizes. Furthermore, it has been tested on animal experimental models of isolated Langendorff-perfused rabbit hearts. The proposed parameter exhibited superior capturing ability of heterogeneous propagation wavefronts compared to the classical Spatial Inhomogeneity Index, and simulations proved that the metric effectively captures gradual increments in disorganisation in propagation patterns. In particular, it provided robust and consistent results for given with 4 × 4 grid sizes, which makes it suitable for new-generation orientation-independent cardiac catheters.
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Pancorbo et al. (2023) studied Abnormal cardiac electrical conduction. Vector Field Heterogeneity metric vs. Spatial Inhomogeneity Index was evaluated on Capturing ability of heterogeneous propagation wavefronts. The proposed Vector Field Heterogeneity metric exhibited superior capturing ability of heterogeneous propagation wavefronts compared to the classical Spatial Inhomogeneity Index.
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