title: Autofluorescence hyperspectral imaging of radiofrequency ablation lesions in porcine cardiac tissue.
abstract: Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a widely used treatment for atrial fibrillation, the most common cardiac arrhythmia. Here, we explore autofluorescence hyperspectral imaging (aHSI) as a method to visualize RFA lesions and interlesional gaps in the highly collagenous left atrium. RFA lesions made on the endocardial surface of freshly excised porcine left atrial tissue were illuminated by UV light (365 nm), and hyperspectral datacubes were acquired over the visible range (420-720 nm). Linear unmixing was used to delineate RFA lesions from surrounding tissue, and lesion diameters derived from unmixed component images were quantitatively compared to gross pathology. RFA caused two consistent changes in the autofluorescence emission profile: a decrease at wavelengths below 490 nm (ascribed to a loss of endogenous NADH) and an increase at wavelengths above 490 nm (ascribed to increased scattering). These spectral changes enabled high resolution, in situ delineation of RFA lesion boundaries without the need for additional staining or exogenous markers. Our results confirm the feasibility of using aHSI to visualize RFA lesions at clinically relevant locations. If integrated into a percutaneous visualization catheter, aHSI would enable widefield optical surgical guidance during RFA procedures and could improve patient outcome by reducing atrial fibrillation recurrence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology & Physiology, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, 2300 Eye Street NW, Washington DC, USA.|Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, 5824 Stevenson Center, PMB 351631, 2301 Vanderbilt Place, Nashville, TN, USA.
authors.forename: Daniel A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Gil
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology & Physiology, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, 2300 Eye Street NW, Washington DC, USA.
authors.forename: Luther M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Swift
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology & Physiology, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, 2300 Eye Street NW, Washington DC, USA.
authors.forename: Huda
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Asfour
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology & Physiology, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, 2300 Eye Street NW, Washington DC, USA.
authors.forename: Narine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Muselimyan
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, George Washington University Medical Faculty Associates, 2150 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 4-417, Washington DC, USA.
authors.forename: Marco A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Mercader
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology & Physiology, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, 2300 Eye Street NW, Washington DC, USA.
authors.forename: Narine A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Sarvazyan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000601:surgery; D017115:Catheter Ablation; D006321:Heart / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D061848:Optical Imaging; D013552:Swine
keywords: cardiac arrhythmia; hyperspectral imaging; radiofrequency ablation; surgical guidance