Wideband 3D heart imaging to guide VT ablation
Official title: Wideband 3D LGE and Coronary MRA for Planning Ventricular Tachycardia Ablation
Funded at Northwestern University · NIH-11318704 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new imaging approach uses 3D wideband heart scans to plan and guide ablation for ventricular tachycardia patients.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Northwestern University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project start | March 4, 2020 |
| Project end | May 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $781,966 |
| NIH project number | 2R01HL151079-05A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11318704 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with ventricular tachycardia undergoing catheter ablation who have implantable cardioverter-defibrillators.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not undergoing VT ablation or without suspected scar-related VT may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project aims to improve VT ablation by using advanced 3D imaging techniques to better visualize heart tissue and guide catheter therapy. It focuses on identifying epicardial and intramural scars that conventional mapping tools may miss, potentially reducing procedure time and increasing success. Patients with VT and ICDs could benefit from more accurate planning and safer ablation with reduced radiation exposure. The study builds on prior imaging work with CMR and CT to create clearer, actionable maps for clinicians.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could experience higher VT ablation success, fewer ICD shocks, and improved quality of life.
How similar studies have gone: Prior imaging-guided ablation work shows promise but wideband 3D integration for planning is still being tested.
Where this research is happening
-
Northwestern University
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kim, Daniel — Northwestern University
- Study coordinator: Kim, Daniel
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.