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Publication Number
US-12533070-B1
Publication Date
2026-01-27
Expiration Date
Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method and system for visualizing the depolarization of a heart as a wave across the surface of the heart while at the same time showing the underlying electrograms associated with the depolarization. Controls are provided to: start and pause the propagation (depolarization) animation, fast forward or rewind, reduce the speed from 1× to slower speeds, and select a subset of the signal for viewing.
Core Innovation
The method and system visualize propagation of a depolarization wave in a heart by measuring electrograms at multiple locations in contact with the heart surface and extracting depolarization information as a function of time. They compute first derivatives, determine extrema, and classify electrograms as unipolar or bipolar. For bipolar electrograms, a local activation time and corresponding dV/dtMIN value are selected based on a ratio of the extrema.
The resulting depolarization wave is recreated across a model of the heart, while electrograms appear on the display with visual indications correlating them to wave propagation. User controls enable interaction with the propagation, and mapped values support an activation map and assessment of underlying cardiac tissue. The problem addressed is not explicitly described in patent because the background section is omitted.
Claims Coverage
The claim set contains two independent claims directed to a method and a system for visualizing cardiac depolarization propagation, encompassing two inventive features.
Method for visualizing cardiac depolarization propagation
Independent claim 1 measures electrograms at multiple locations in contact with the heart surface, computes first derivatives, determines derivative extrema, and classifies each electrogram as unipolar or bipolar. For bipolar electrograms, it selects a local activation time and corresponding dV/dtMIN based on the ratio of the absolute minimum dV/dt to the absolute maximum dV/dt. It recreates the depolarization wave across a heart model, displays the electrograms with visual indications correlating them to the wave, and provides a user control to interact with propagation.
System for visualizing cardiac depolarization propagation
Independent claim 12 provides a signal acquisition module to measure electrograms at multiple heart-surface locations, memory storing instructions, and processors configured to extract depolarization information using first derivatives, extrema, and electrogram classification. For bipolar electrograms, the processors select local activation time and dV/dtMIN based on the ratio of the absolute minimum dV/dt to the absolute maximum dV/dt, display the wave across a heart model alongside correlated electrograms, and provide a user control for interaction.
The independent claims cover both a method and a system that derive depolarization timing information from electrograms and present correlated cardiac wave propagation on a heart model with user interaction.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Visualization of depolarization wave propagation across a heart model alongside correlated electrograms.
Mapping local activation times and derivative extrema to points of the heart to generate and display an activation map.
Assessing the health of underlying heart tissues based on corresponding mapped values.
Determining cardiac therapy from mapped values and controlling a therapy device to deliver the therapy.
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