title: Real-time monitoring of cardiac radio-frequency ablation lesion formation using an optical coherence tomography forward-imaging catheter.
abstract: Radio-frequency ablation (rfa) is the standard of care for the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias; however, there are no direct measures of the successful delivery of ablation lesions. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging has the potential to provide real-time monitoring of cardiac rfa therapy, visualizing lesion formation and assessing tissue contact in the presence of blood. A rfa-compatible forward-imaging conical scanning probe is prototyped to meet this need. The forward-imaging probe provides circular scanning, with a 2-mm scan diameter and 30-mum spot size. During the application of rf energy, dynamics are recorded at 20 frames per second with a 40-kHz A-line rate. Real-time monitoring of cardiac rfa lesion formation and imaging in the presence of blood is demonstrated ex vivo in a swine left ventricle with a forward, flexible, circular scanning OCT catheter.
authors.forename: Christine P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Fleming
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Kara J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Quan
authors.forename: Andrew M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Rollins
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001718:Birefringence; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D006335:Heart Injuries / Q000473:pathology*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology*; D034421:Sus scrofa; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*