Cardiovascular magnetic resonance guided ablation and intra-procedural visualization of evolving radiofrequency lesions in the left ventricle

BACKGROUND: Radiofrequency (RF) ablation has become a mainstay of treatment for ventricular tachycardia, yet adequate lesion formation remains challenging. This study aims to comprehensively describe the composition and evolution of acute left ventricular (LV) lesions using native-contrast cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) during CMR-guided ablation procedures. METHODS: RF ablation was performed using an actively-tracked CMR-enabled catheter guided into the LV of 12 healthy swine to create 14 RF ablation lesions. T(2) maps were acquired immediately post-ablation to visualize myocardial edema at the ablation sites and T(1)-weighted inversion recovery prepared balanced steady-state free precession (IR-SSFP) imaging was used to visualize the lesions. These sequences were repeated concurrently to assess the physiological response following ablation for up to approximately 3 h. Multi-contrast late enhancement (MCLE) imaging was performed to confirm the final pattern of ablation, which was then validated using gross pathology and histology. RESULTS: Edema at the ablation site was detected in T(2) maps acquired as early as 3 min post-ablation. Acute T(2)-derived edematous regions consistently encompassed the T(1)-derived lesions, and expanded significantly throughout the 3-h period post-ablation to 1.7 ± 0.2 times their baseline volumes (mean ± SE, estimated using a linear mixed model determined from n = 13 lesions). T(1)-derived lesions remained approximately stable in volume throughout the same time frame, decreasing to 0.9 ± 0.1 times the baseline volume (mean ± SE, estimated using a linear mixed model, n = 9 lesions). CONCLUSIONS: Combining native T(1)- and T(2)-based imaging showed that distinctive regions of ablation injury are reflected by these contrast mechanisms, and these regions evolve separately throughout the time period of an intervention. An integrated description of the T(1)-derived lesion and T(2)-derived edema provides a detailed picture of acute lesion composition that would be most clinically useful during an ablation case.