MediGuide reduces exposure to radiation

It uses electromagnets instead of radiation-based imaging, researchers report in the American Heart Association journal Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology.

Electromagnetic tracking technology was used successfully to implant Cardiac Resynchronisation Therapy (CRT) devices in heart failure patients, and cut patients’ and doctors’ radiation exposure as compared with traditional fluoroscopy-based implantation procedures.

CRT is becoming more common as a treatment option for patients with severe congestive heart failure and conduction disease. Beyond conventional right ventricular pacing, a CRT device, which provides biventricular pacing, helps the left and right lower chambers of the heart to beat in synchrony. Although fluoroscopy is traditionally used to guide CRT implantation, radiation exposure from this type of imaging is a major concern even for experienced operators using an up-to-date scanner.

The new tracking system uses tools equipped with sensors that can be detected electromagnetically, which reduces the need for conventional fluoroscopy.

Average fluoroscopy time for traditional CRT implantation exceeds 20 minutes but with the new tracking system, patients were exposed to the conventional fluoroscopy an average of five minutes.