AI and 4D ultrasound to pinpoint where abnormal heart rhythms begin
AI-assisted Imaging and Prediction of Cardiac Arrhythmia Origins using 4D Ultrasound
Uses AI together with time-resolved 3D (4D) ultrasound to find where abnormal heart rhythms start in people with arrhythmias.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11062814 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project combines high-resolution 4D ultrasound with artificial intelligence to make moving 3D images of electrical activity through the heart wall. The team will train AI models to recognize patterns that indicate where abnormal rhythms originate, aiming to see signals beneath the heart surface that standard tests miss. The approach is meant to be noninvasive, offering an alternative to lengthy catheter-based mapping by producing detailed internal maps from ultrasound data. Developers will refine and test the imaging and AI methods and compare results with current clinical mapping techniques.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be people with recurrent heart rhythm problems such as atrial fibrillation or ventricular tachycardia who are being evaluated for mapping or ablation procedures.
Not a fit: People without arrhythmias, or whose heart anatomy or implanted devices prevent clear ultrasound imaging, are unlikely to benefit directly from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help doctors find the source of arrhythmias without invasive catheter mapping, making treatments like ablation faster and more precise.
How similar studies have performed: Existing methods like invasive catheter mapping and body-surface ECG imaging are used now, but using 4D ultrasound plus AI to image transmural arrhythmia origins is largely novel and not yet proven in people.
Where this research is happening
San Francisco, United States
- University of California, San Francisco — San Francisco, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Christoph, Jan — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Christoph, Jan
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.