Abstract: A probe generates location signals, and has an electrode at a distal end that acquires from heart chamber surface positions electrical signals due to a conduction wave traversing the surface. A processor derives LATs from the electrical signals, calculates a first time difference between LATs at a first pair of positions and a second time difference between LATs at a second pair of positions. The processor calculates first and second LAT-derived distances as products of the first and second time differences with a conduction wave velocity, identifies an arrhythmia origin at a surface location where a first difference in distances from the location to the first pair of the positions is equal to the first LAT-derived distance, and a second difference in distances from the location to the second pair of the positions is equal to the second LAT-derived distance, and marks the origin on a surface representation.

Abstract: A medical display processing device and a method of reusing data includes acquiring, over time via electrodes, electrical signals each acquired via one of the electrodes and indicating electrical activity at a location of a portion of patient anatomy in a 3D space. Electrical signal data, corresponding to the electrical signals, is filtered according to first filter parameter settings and first mapping information is generated for displaying a map of the portion of patient anatomy and the filtered electrical signal data. An indication of a region of the portion of patient anatomy on the map is received and second mapping information is generated for displaying, at the region on the map, a portion of the electrical signal data previously filtered from display.

Abstract: A system and method for non-invasively detecting abnormal electrical propagation in the heart are disclosed. The system and method include an interface for receiving a pacing signal applied to a heart of a patient, the pacing signal comprising (i) a sequence of regular pacing stimuli shorter than the sinus-rate intervals, and (ii) one or more extra pacing stimuli at intervals that are shorter than the regular pacing stimuli, a processor to assess the envelope of a body-surface ECG component after the regular pacing stimuli, assess the envelope of a body surface ECG component after the one or more extra pacing stimuli, and compare the assessed component after the extra pacing stimuli to the assessed component after the regular pacing stimuli. The interface outputting the comparison as an indication of regions of arrhythmogenicity and ablation targets in the heart.

Abstract: A method includes receiving a bipolar signal sensed by a pair of electrodes at a location in a heart of a patient. One or more electrocardiogram (ECG) signals are received, sensed by body-surface electrodes attached to the patient. Two or more successive QRS complexes are identified in the bipolar signal. One or more activations are detected in the bipolar signal, which occur within a window-of-interest that begins at least a given time with respect to the identified QRS complexes. The detected activations are checked whether they are late potentials, by verifying whether (i) the activations do not coincide with a predefined event observed in the ECG signals, and (ii) the activations are repeatable in the successive QRS complexes. In response to deciding that at least one of the detected activations is a late potential, the latest of the at least one of the late potentials is visualized to a user.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system includes a catheter, at least one position sensor to provide position signal(s) indicative of a position of a distal end of the catheter over time, a first smoothing filter to provide first filtered position signal(s) responsively to the position signal(s) and a first filtering level, a second smoothing filter to provide second filtered position signal(s) responsively to the position signal(s) and a second filtering level, wherein the second filtering level provides more smoothing than the first filtering level, and processing circuitry to find first and second position coordinates of the distal end responsively to the first and second filtered position signal(s), respectively, generate, and render to a display, an anatomical map of a body part responsively to the second position coordinates, and render a representation of the distal end to the display while showing movement of the distal end responsively to the first position coordinates.

Abstract: A method includes receiving a bipolar signal sensed by a pair of electrodes at a location in a heart of a patient. One or more electrocardiogram (ECG) signals are received, sensed by body-surface electrodes attached to the patient. Two or more successive QRS complexes are identified in the bipolar signal. One or more activations are detected in the bipolar signal, which occur within a window-of-interest that begins at least a given time with respect to the identified QRS complexes. The detected activations are checked whether they are late potentials, by verifying whether (i) the activations do not coincide with a predefined event observed in the ECG signals, and (ii) the activations are repeatable in the successive QRS complexes. In response to deciding that at least one of the detected activations is a late potential, the latest of the at least one of the late potentials is visualized to a user.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and systems are provided for facilitating the navigation of a catheter between first and second locations within a subject based on display of serial images corresponding to positions of the catheter at successive incremental times. Image production includes sensing catheter positions to produce location data for each time increment. For each position Pi, the corresponding location data is processed to respectively produce an image Ii reflecting the position of the catheter at a time Ti. Each image Ii is successively displayed at a time equal to Ti+d, where d is an image processing visualization delay. Upon a condition that the catheter is displaced to a selected interim location between the first and second locations, the processing of the location data is switched from being performed by a first process associated with a first visualization delay to a second process associated with a second different visualization delay.

Abstract: A probe generates location signals, and has an electrode at a distal end that acquires from heart chamber surface positions electrical signals due to a conduction wave traversing the surface. A processor derives LATs from the electrical signals, calculates a first time difference between LATs at a first pair of positions and a second time difference between LATs at a second pair of positions. The processor calculates first and second LAT-derived distances as products of the first and second time differences with a conduction wave velocity, identifies an arrhythmia origin at a surface location where a first difference in distances from the location to the first pair of the positions is equal to the first LAT-derived distance, and a second difference in distances from the location to the second pair of the positions is equal to the second LAT-derived distance, and marks the origin on a surface representation.

Abstract: A method for evaluation of electrical propagation in the heart includes receiving a pacing signal applied to a heart of a patient, the pacing signal including a sequence of normal and shorter, abnormal, pacing stimuli. A responsive cardiac signal is received, that is sensed by electrodes at a location in the heart and on the body surface of the patient. A model response is found and annotated from evoked potentials caused by the normal pacing stimuli. A correlation is made between the model response along the different signal sections to find and calculate a normal and decremental time delays between the pacing stimuli and respectively resulting evoked potentials at a tissue location. A time difference is calculated, between the normal time delay and the decremental time delay. An EP map of at least a portion of the heart is presented to a user, with a graphical indication of the time difference presented at the tissue location.

Abstract: A probe generates location signals, and has an electrode at a distal end which acquires from heart chamber surface positions electrical signals due to a conduction wave traversing the surface. A processor derives LATs from the electrical signals, calculates a first time difference between LATs at a first pair of positions and a second time difference between LATs at a second pair of positions. The processor calculates first and second LAT-derived distances as products of the first and second time differences with a conduction wave velocity, identifies an arrhythmia origin at a surface location where a first difference in distances from the location to the first pair of the positions is equal to the first LAT-derived distance, and a second difference in distances from the location to the second pair of the positions is equal to the second LAT-derived distance, and marks the origin on a surface representation.

Abstract: A method includes receiving a bipolar signal sensed by a pair of electrodes at a location in a heart of a patient. One or more electrocardiogram (ECG) signals are received, sensed by body-surface electrodes attached to the patient. Two or more successive QRS complexes are identified in the bipolar signal. One or more activations are detected in the bipolar signal, which occur within a window-of-interest that begins at least a given time with respect to the identified QRS complexes. The detected activations are checked whether they are late potentials, by verifying whether (i) the activations do not coincide with a predefined event observed in the ECG signals, and (ii) the activations are repeatable in the successive QRS complexes. In response to deciding that at least one of the detected activations is a late potential, the latest of the at least one of the late potentials is visualized to a user.

Abstract: A medical display processing device and a method of reusing data includes acquiring, over time via electrodes, electrical signals each acquired via one of the electrodes and indicating electrical activity at a location of a portion of patient anatomy in a 3D space. Electrical signal data, corresponding to the electrical signals, is filtered according to first filter parameter settings and first mapping information is generated for displaying a map of the portion of patient anatomy and the filtered electrical signal data. An indication of a region of the portion of patient anatomy on the map is received and second mapping information is generated for displaying, at the region on the map, a portion of the electrical signal data previously filtered from display.

Abstract: A medical display processing device and a method of reusing data includes acquiring, over time via electrodes, electrical signals each acquired via one of the electrodes and indicating electrical activity at a location of a portion of patient anatomy in a 3D space. Electrical signal data, corresponding to the electrical signals, is filtered according to first filter parameter settings and first mapping information is generated for displaying a map of the portion of patient anatomy and the filtered electrical signal data. An indication of a region of the portion of patient anatomy on the map is received and second mapping information is generated for displaying, at the region on the map, a portion of the electrical signal data previously filtered from display.

Abstract: A medical tool testing apparatus comprising a vessel. The vessel comprises a scaffold formed from biomaterial, live cardiac tissue, generated from cardiac cells, proliferating on the scaffold, the live cardiac tissue configured to generate electrical activity. The vessel also comprises a medical tool, in contact with live cardiac tissue, used for a medical procedure within patient anatomy. Operational features of the medical tool are determined by a visually perceptible condition of the live cardiac tissue.

Abstract: A method including calculating, at multiple intra-cardiac locations, respective average atrial fibrillation cycle-length (AFCL) values. A determination is made as to whether the calculated average AFCL values are indicative of a regular atrial fibrillation (AF) activity. Gradients between pairs of the average AFCL values are calculated for a plurality of average AFCL values that are determined to be indicative of regular AF activity. The calculated AFCL gradients are presented to a user, overlaid on a map of at least a portion of the heart.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and systems are provided for facilitating the navigation of a catheter between first and second locations within a subject based on display of serial images corresponding to positions of the catheter at successive incremental times. Image production includes sensing catheter positions to produce location data for each time increment. For each position Pi, the corresponding location data is processed to respectively produce an image Ii reflecting the position of the catheter at a time Ti. Each image Ii is successively displayed at a time equal to Ti+d, where d is an image processing visualization delay. Upon a condition that the catheter is displaced to a selected interim location between the first and second locations, the processing of the location data is switched from being performed by a first process associated with a first visualization delay to a second process associated with a second different visualization delay.

Abstract: A medical display processing device and a method of reusing data includes acquiring, over time via electrodes, electrical signals each acquired via one of the electrodes and indicating electrical activity at a location of a portion of patient anatomy in a 3D space. Electrical signal data, corresponding to the electrical signals, is filtered according to first filter parameter settings and first mapping information is generated for displaying a map of the portion of patient anatomy and the filtered electrical signal data. An indication of a region of the portion of patient anatomy on the map is received and second mapping information is generated for displaying, at the region on the map, a portion of the electrical signal data previously filtered from display.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and systems for medical procedures are disclosed herein and include sensing a plurality of tissue electrical potentials at an organ area of an organ, by one or more electrodes on a catheter, determining a number of peak electrical potentials from the plurality of first tissue electrical potentials such that the a peak electrical potential exceeds a potential threshold, determining a first visual characteristic based on the number of peak electrical potential and displaying a rendering of the organ comprising the organ area such that the rendering of the first organ area comprises the first visual characteristic.

Abstract: Apparatus for assessing scarring of cardiac tissue, consisting of a probe and a processor. The probe has one or more electrodes, which are configured to contact the tissue at a plurality of positions and to sense respective voltages in the tissue at the positions. The processor receives the respective voltages, and computes a triangular mesh that is representative of a surface of the tissue and that consists of multiple triangles having vertices corresponding to the positions contacted by the one or more electrodes. The processor calculates respective scar areas within the triangles by comparing the respective voltages sensed at the positions corresponding to the vertices to a predefined range of the voltages that is associated with scarring, and computes a sum of the respective areas. The processor compares the sum to a total area of the triangles so as to assess a degree of the scarring of the tissue.

Abstract: An ECG data management system is disclosed which includes a first memory portion configured to store ECG data having values corresponding to electrical signals of a heart acquired over time via a plurality of electrodes disposed at different areas of the heart. The system also includes a second memory portion configured to store the ECG data and a processing device configured to manage mapping of the ECG data by performing a mapping procedure including generating map data and one or more maps from the ECG data for display; concurrently storing the ECG data in the first memory portion and the second memory portion; and in response to a request to export the ECG data, stopping the storing of the ECG data in the second memory portion and synchronizing the ECG data stored in the second memory portion with the map data while continuing to perform the mapping procedure.