Intracardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging Catheter With Origami Deployable Mechanisms¹

Atrial fibrillation (AF) contributes to an estimated 750,000 hospitalizations and 130,000 deaths per year in the U.S. [1]. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) therapy is a catheter-based minimally invasive treatment for AF. RFA electrodes embedded in the tip of a catheter are inserted from the femoral artery and maneuvered into the atrium (Figs. 1(a) and 1(b)). The abnormal tissue in the pulmonary veins of the atrium is ablated to electrically inactivate the sites causing irregular heart rhythm (Fig. 1(c)). Multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (e.g., T2-weighted, delayed contrast enhancement imaging) provides excellent soft tissue contrast and lesion visualization, which could serve as a roadmap for preoperative planning and intraoperative catheter navigation. With the use of an intracardiac (IC) MR imaging coil for real time visualization of the operation, electrophysiologists can monitor the ablated lesions, gaining greater control over the outcome of the procedure....