Catheter Tracking: Filter-Based vs. Learning-Based

Abstract. Atrial fibrillation is the most common sustained arrhythmia. One important treatment option is radio-frequency catheter ablation (RFCA) of the pulmonary veins attached to the left atrium. RFCA is usually performed under fluoroscopic (X-ray) image guidance. Overlay images computed from pre-operative 3-D volumetric data can be used to add anatomical detail otherwise not visible under X-ray. Unfortunately, current fluoro overlay images are static, i.e., they do not move synchronously with respiratory and cardiac motion. A filter-based catheter tracking approach using simultaneous biplane fluoroscopy was previously presented. It requires localization of a circumferential tracking catheter, though. Unfortunately, the initially proposed method may fail to accommodate catheters of different size. It may also detect wrong structures in the presence of high background clutter. We developed a new learning-based approach to overcome both problems. First, a 3-D model of the cathete...

• Type: Journal
• Year: 2010
• Where: DAGM
• Authors: Alexander Brost, Andreas Wimmer, Rui Liao, Joachim Hornegger, Norbert Strobel
• Keywords: Catheter, Catheter Tracking Approach, DAGM 2010, Image Processing, Radio-frequency Catheter Ablation