New technique to determine the extent of scarring after a myocardial infarction
SENTISIM: Surgery training platform
April 1, 2018
CarGuard: connecting vehicles and mobiles
March 1, 2018Researchers in the Instrumentation and e-Health area of the Research Centre for Biomedical Engineering (CREB UPC), together with researchers from the Biomedical Research Networking Center on Cardiovascular Diseases (CIBERCV) of the Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, have created a new technique for identifying scar areas in patients who have had a myocardial infarction.
The study was carried out by the Research Centre for Biomedical Engineering (CREB UPC), led by Xavier Rosell, and researchers from the Hospital de Sant Pau. In a porcine model of chronic myocardial infarction, it was found that the new technique detected areas of postinfarction fibrosis and was an improvement on the current technique of measuring the voltage of local electrograms.
Currently, scar areas are identified from a voltage map, that is, the voltage of local electrograms is analysed. Researchers who participated in the project consider that have opened up a new diagnostic method.
A pioneering study
This study is the first of its kind to analyse the capacity to identify myocardial scar areas by means of an innovative approach based on measuring electrical impedance with a catheter. Electrical impedance is a property of the heart that is affected by the intrinsic structural characteristics of the tissue. Previous research has revealed that impedance is lower in the myocardial scar than in normal myocardium, which enables identification of the necrotic area.
Related Projects
- Every year, over four million patients acquire an infection associated with a hospital stay, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and the World Health Organisation. The data indicate that the impact of these infections has led to direct or indirect mortality of 137,000 patients and a cost of seven billion euros annually.
- SARAS: Towards cognitive robotics in surgery Currently, during a laparoscopic or robot-assisted surgical procedure, several units of medical personnel are requested in the operating room: the […]
- The project involves the participation of the Center for Innovation in Electronics, Motion Control and Industrial Applications (MCIA) of the UPC. The main aim is to construct a digital twin to monitor, visualise and manage the state of maintenance of hospital equipment.
- BIOPHOCH, led by the Centre for Sensors, Instruments and Systems Development (CD6), is designed to develop new tools and methodologies for image analysis and processing of data in the health area using photonic techniques.
