Using radiation therapy to treat dangerous heart rhythms.
Official title: Mechanistic Basis of Cardiac Irradiation as a Therapy for Ventricular Tachycardia
Funded at Washington University · NIH-11094688 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how a special type of radiation therapy might help people with a tough heart condition called ventricular tachycardia, especially those who haven't found relief with other treatments, by seeing if it can reduce their heart episodes and improve their overall care.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Washington University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Saint Louis, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2022 |
| Project end | May 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $787,084 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL163274-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11094688 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are patients with ventricular tachycardia who have not responded to conventional antiarrhythmic therapies or catheter ablation.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with VT that is easily managed with existing treatments may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the use of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) as a treatment for ventricular tachycardia (VT), a serious heart condition that can lead to sudden cardiac arrest. The study aims to understand how high doses of radiation can effectively reduce the frequency of VT episodes in patients who do not respond to traditional treatments. By examining the biological changes in the heart after radiation therapy, researchers hope to uncover the mechanisms behind its effectiveness and improve treatment options for patients with refractory VT.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could provide a new, effective treatment option for patients suffering from refractory ventricular tachycardia.
How similar studies have gone: Other studies have shown promising results using radiation therapy for ventricular tachycardia, indicating that this approach may be effective.
Where this research is happening
-
Washington University
Saint Louis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Rentschler, Stacey Lynn — Washington University
- Study coordinator: Rentschler, Stacey Lynn
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Map heart tissue to guide VT ablation with AI help
A patient-oriented project aims to use AI-based mapping to better identify abnormal heart tissue responsible for ventricular tachycardia and guide safer, faster ablation.
-
Proton SBRT for refractory ventricular tachycardia with real-time 3D/4D imaging
A patient-facing study exploring a proton-based, noninvasive radiation therapy to treat stubborn VT using advanced 3D and 4D imaging to target the heart safely.
-
Venous ethanol ablation to treat ischemic VT (VE-VT)
A new treatment approach uses ethanol delivered through heart veins to help stop dangerous heart rhythms in patients with previous heart damage.
-
Novel gene therapy tools to prevent dangerous heart rhythms
A small grant supports testing gene-therapy methods to stop ventricular tachycardia after a heart attack, with the goal of helping people at risk of sudden heart rhythm problems.
-
Radiation-guided ablation for ventricular tachycardia
This project tests a noninvasive radiation approach to ablate heart tissue in people with dangerous ventricular tachycardia to reduce the need for invasive procedures.
-
Low-Field MRI–Guided Robotic Catheter System for VT Ablation
A research project is testing a new low-field MRI–guided robotic catheter to improve treatment of ventricular tachycardia for patients with abnormal heart structure.
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.