ABSTRACT
Atrial Fibrillation (AF) is characterized by a disorganized activation of the atrium leading to impaired cardiac
function and more serious complications like embolic stroke, worsening heart failure, and increased mortality.
AE affects 9% of the U.S. population (2% younger than 65) and contributes to 750,000 hospitalizations and
130,000 deaths per year. There is a clear unmet clinical need for a novel noninvasive imaging modality able to
accurately diagnose, classify, and localize the origin of advanced arrythmias like AF with the goal of making
better treatment decisions and improving patient outcomes. The objectives of this proposal are to develop,
optimize, and validate the first transthoracic Acoustoelectric Cardiac Imaging (tACI) system for real-time, high
resolution mapping of cardiac currents and arrythmias through the chest wall. This patented technology combines
ultrasound with high frequency radiofrequency recording to remotely map electrical currents in the body (e.g.,
heart, brain) at high resolution. If successful, tACI will achieve noninvasive electrical mapping of the ventricles
and atria at the mm and ms scales, thereby providing high diagnostic accuracy for classifying advanced arrythmias
like AF, localizing its origins, guiding treatment decisions and reducing medical errors, leading to better outcomes
for patients. The long-term goal at ElectroSonix is to commercialize and translate revolutionary and portable ACI
technology to the clinic, doctor’s office, and point-of-care for improving diagnosis and treatment for all types of
arrythmias. The global cardiac diagnostic and monitoring devices market is expected to surpass $10 billion by
2020, growing at 4.0% CAGR, while the specific market for noninvasive diagnostic imaging (e.g., ECG) is
expected to reach $1 billion globally by 2025 at a CAGR of 2.0%. A clinical system based on tACI technology
would impact this sector by greatly improving the accuracy for diagnosing and classifying arrythmias. Further,
by localizing the origins of arrythmias, the proposed clinical tACI system would help guide treatment decisions,
reduce medical errors, and improve quality of life for patients suffering from AF and other advanced arrythmias.
