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Improved treatment of intramural ventricular arrhythmia using robot-assisted MRI-guided intramyocardial needle ablation

Award Number: R01HL183894
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL HEART, LUNG, & BLOOD INSTITUTE
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 09/01/2026
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 05/31/2030

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Improved treatment of intramural ventricular arrhythmia using robot-assisted MRI-guided intramyocardial needle ablation - Project Summary/Abstract: The goal of this proposal is to develop a dexterous intramyocardial needle ablation (d-INA) catheter and robotic control method with MRI-based navigation for effective ventricular tachycardia (VT) treatment. VT is a major cause of sudden cardiac death (SCD), which kills 325,000 people in the U.S. per year. VT results from aberrant electric conduction in the heart, typically occurring around scar tissue. The most effective therapy to prevent VT is catheter-based electroanatomic mapping (EAM) followed by radio-frequency ablation (RFA) to thermally induce tissue necrosis. However, conventional catheter ablation is only ~60% successful in one year despite lengthy procedures. Important reasons for poor success are 1) the limited ability of RFA applied from the endocardial surface to eliminate targets deeper within the left ventricle (LV) wall, which is estimated to be required in 38% of VT ablations, 2) difficulty in dexterously and systematically navigating the catheter along the LV endocardial surface for complete treatment, especially around LV summit and papillary muscles, and 3) lack of methods to identify sites of incomplete ablation intraoperatively. Incomplete ablation can appear effective acutely but recover over days to weeks, leading to VT recurrence. Issue 1) was mostly resolved by the INA catheter, which uses an instrumented needle that penetrates the ventricular wall and delivers ablation from deeper within the myocardium. However, the existing INA still suffers from issues 2) and 3), necessitating a new tool with far greater dexterity, improved catheter control, and advanced intraoperative monitoring to achieve effective treatment. To address these limitations, we propose the following Specific Aims. Aim 1: Develop Novel d-INA with Enhanced Sensing. We will develop a novel dexterous INA toolset with enhanced sensing of shape, force, and temperature to enable effective intramyocardial needle ablation. Aim 2: Systematic d-INA Manipulation via Robotic Control and MRI Guidance. We will develop the robotic control and MR-based navigation framework to manipulate the d-INA under MRI guidance for effective and systematic ablation in the ventricle. Aim 3: Accurate MRI-guided VT Ablation in a Porcine Myocardial Infarction (MI) Model. We will first develop the workflow for accurate MRI-guided LV ablation and then validate the performance of the proposed d- INA and robotic control to perform MRI-guided ablation for VT treatment. Impact: If successful, this proposal will permit more accurate and efficient ablation of deep-seated VT circuits in the ventricular wall, addressing important shortcomings in current VT therapy.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2026 ( Subtotal = $808,511 )
2026	2026	GEORGIA TECH RESEARCH CORP	926 DALNEY ST NW	ATLANTA	GA	30318	FULTON	USA	Cardiovascular Diseases Research	000	1	9/3/2026	NEW	$808,511
														Subtotal = $808,511

Grand Total All Awards = $808,511

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Improved treatment of intramural ventricular arrhythmia using robot-assisted MRI-guided intramyocardial needle ablation

Award Number: R01HL183894

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL HEART, LUNG, & BLOOD INSTITUTE

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 09/01/2026

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 05/31/2030

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