Inverse modelling of Cardiac Arrhythmia sources based on ultrasound imaging

Cardiac arrhythmias are a leading cause of death worldwide. For most type of arrhythmias, catheter ablation is an important treatment modality with higher efficacy than medical treatment. Although different heart rhythm disorders can be recognized using the electrocardiogram, the precise three-dimensional spatiotemporal organization of cardiac activation patterns inside the heart during certain arrhythmia types is not well understood. Indeed, mapping and effective ablation of certain arrhythmias can remain challenging with variable success rates. Echocardiographic visualization and localization of arrhythmia sources could therefore be of importance to determine the correct ablation target before and/or during the procedure. More specifically, high frame rate imaging has proven helpful in better detecting the onset of regional myocardial deformation and could thus be used for accurate localization of the site of earliest activation. The aim of this PhD position therefore is to develop and clinically validate a non-invasive diagnosis and ablation strategy for cardiac arrhythmias taking advantage of the increased temporal resolution of high frame rate echocardiography.