title: A stochastic approach for automatic registration and fusion of left atrial electroanatomic maps with 3D CT anatomical images.
abstract: The integration of electroanatomic maps with highly resolved computed tomography cardiac images plays an important role in the successful planning of the ablation procedure of arrhythmias. In this paper, we present and validate a fully-automated strategy for the registration and fusion of sparse, atrial endocardial electroanatomic maps (CARTO maps) with detailed left atrial (LA) anatomical reconstructions segmented from a pre-procedural MDCT scan. Registration is accomplished by a parameterized geometric transformation of the CARTO points and by a stochastic search of the best parameter set which minimizes the misalignment between transformed CARTO points and the LA surface. The subsequent fusion of electrophysiological information on the registered CT atrium is obtained through radial basis function interpolation. The algorithm is validated by simulation and by real data from 14 patients referred to CT imaging prior to the ablation procedure. Results are presented, which show the validity of the algorithmic scheme as well as the accuracy and reproducibility of the integration process. The obtained results encourage the application of the integration method in post-intervention ablation assessment and basic AF research and suggest the development for real-time applications in catheter guiding during ablation intervention.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, University of Trento, 38050 Povo-Trento, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cristoforetti
authors.forename: Michela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Masè
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Faes
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Centonze
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Del Greco
authors.forename: Renzo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Antolini
authors.forename: Giandomenico
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nollo
authors.forename: Flavia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ravelli
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D001185:Artificial Intelligence; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000175:diagnosis*; D018780:Body Surface Potential Mapping / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D010363:Pattern Recognition, Automated / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013269:Stochastic Processes; D013382:Subtraction Technique; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*