Real-time, non-invasive mapping to find where dangerous heart rhythms start
Official title: Development of an automatic real-time personalized non-invasive localization of the site of origin of the earliest ventricular activation
Funded at Worcester Polytechnic Institute · NIH-11232475 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A computerized tool that uses your standard 12-lead ECG to quickly and automatically locate where ventricular arrhythmias begin to help people with recurrent dangerous heart rhythms.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R15 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Worcester Polytechnic Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Worcester, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2023 |
| Award (this year) | $281,807 |
| NIH project number | 7R15HL167222-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11232475 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with recurrent ventricular tachycardia or frequent PVCs who are being considered for catheter ablation or noninvasive treatment options.
✕Less likely to help
People without ventricular arrhythmias or those whose arrhythmia source cannot be seen on a surface 12-lead ECG are unlikely to benefit from this approach.
What this research studies
This project builds a computer method that analyzes routine 12-lead ECGs in real time to pinpoint the origin of ventricular tachycardia (VT) or premature ventricular complexes (PVCs). The team will train and test the algorithm using patient ECGs and sites confirmed by invasive mapping or prior treatments. They will compare the automatic localizations to expert readings and to the known ablation or radiotherapy targets. The end goal is a patient-specific, non-invasive map that helps doctors focus mapping and treatment more quickly during procedures.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the tool could speed up procedures and help doctors target ablation or noninvasive radiotherapy more precisely, potentially lowering recurrence rates and procedure times.
How similar studies have gone: Related ECG- and body-surface mapping approaches have shown promise, but a fully automatic, real-time, patient-specific localization tool is still relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Worcester, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zhou, Shijie — Worcester Polytechnic Institute
- Study coordinator: Zhou, Shijie
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.