Getting to the Heart of the Problem

Heart rhythm disorders, also known as arrhythmias, are conditions characterized by irregularities in the heart's natural rhythmic beating pattern. These disorders can range from relatively benign to life-threatening, affecting millions of people worldwide. The high prevalence of heart rhythm disorders make them a significant public health concern, with various factors such as age, genetics, and underlying heart conditions contributing to their occurrence.

These disorders arise due to disturbances in the electrical signals responsible for coordinating the heart's contractions. Normally, the heart's electrical system works in harmony, sending signals that regulate the heart's rhythm and ensure efficient blood pumping throughout the body. However, disruptions in this intricate process can lead to irregular heartbeats, which can manifest as palpitations, dizziness, chest pain, or even fainting.

Despite the prevalence and potential severity of these disorders, detailed mappings of the heart's electrical activity are rarely conducted. This is primarily due to the complexity and expense of the equipment required for such procedures. Additionally, the process can pose risks to patients, as invasive mapping procedures may lead to serious complications.

Unfortunately, this leaves clinicians treating individuals with arrhythmias somewhat in the dark. Without good data, it is challenging to determine which patients are at the highest risk for serious heart problems. If more was known about the electrical activity in a person’s heart, they could be identified as a candidate for an implantable cardioverter defibrillator or other therapies that could prove to be life saving.

This sort of detailed information about electrical activity may be much more widely available to physicians in the future, thanks to the work of a group at University College London. They have developed an electrocardiographic imaging vest that is non-invasive, safe for the patient, cost-effective, and relatively easy to use. In about five minutes, a large volume of data can be captured to aid clinicians in charting out their patient’s treatment plan.

When in use, the vest is laid on top of the patient’s torso. A grid of 256 sensors embedded within the vest capture electrical measurements from the patient. These measurements can optionally be combined with images of the heart taken by magnetic resonance imaging. This combination of data sources allows 3D models of the heart to be created, which shows electrical signals as they move through it.

Adding to the cost-effectiveness of the vest is the fact that it uses dry electrodes, which make it reusable. As such, the electrodes only need to be cleaned between uses. This is in contrast with gel electrodes that are more complex and require further maintenance. The researchers noted that dry electrodes have not been used for electrocardiographic imaging in the past.

An experiment involving 77 participants was conducted, and it was demonstrated that the vest is both durable and reliable. Since that time, the device has been used on over 800 additional patients. This opens up a new world of opportunities in which large amounts of electrocardiographic data can be collected. Previous research efforts rarely captured data for more than a few dozen patients.

At present, the team is working toward acquiring a patent for their technology, and is exploring how it could be manufactured at scale.