Mapping Catheter Enhances Physician Treatment Options

A next generation three-dimensional (3D) mapping and navigation solution assists clinicians in cardiac catheter ablations and other electrophysiology (EP) procedures.

The Rhythmia Mapping System is designed to increase speed and improve density of mapping compared to existing systems, potentially offering significant benefit to patients, physicians, and health care systems in treating a variety of conditions in which the heart beats abnormally, such as atrial flutter, atrial fibrillation (AF), and ventricular tachycardia (VT). The system is intended for use with the IntellaMap Orion mapping catheter, a sophisticated 64-electrode catheter with a deployable basket that provided a high degree of maneuverability.


The combination provides electrophysiologists with accurate, high-resolution electroanatomical maps. The mapping catheter tracks the electrical signals coursing through the heart as it beats, as well as sketch its geometry and internal shape. Subsequently, the mapping system analyzes the data that the catheter is collecting, translating the electrical signals into 3-D visualizations. The Rhythmia Mapping System and IntellaMap Orion mapping catheter are products of Boston Scientific (Natick, MA, USA), and have been received the European Union CE marking of approval.

“We believe the Rhythmia Mapping System can become a leader in EP mapping with unparalleled speed, clarity and simplicity which should enable electrophysiologists to perform procedures with great efficiency and precision,” said Pete Sommerness, general manager of electrophysiology at Boston Scientific. “Bringing the Rhythmia system to our electrophysiology customers is a major step toward realizing our vision to redefine ablation technology.”

“The Rhythmia Mapping System can rapidly generate and display high density electro-anatomical maps that allowed clinicians to effectively diagnose and treat even the most complex patients,” said Prof. Hiroshi Nakagawa, MD, PhD, of the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center (Oklahoma City, USA). “The IntellaMap Orion Catheter has a sophisticated 64 electrode design and unique deployable basket that provided a high degree of maneuverability.”

Mapping and navigation systems have become a standard tool for physicians performing catheter ablations, but current systems demand tradeoffs between accuracy and speed. A more accurate, high-resolution image could improve the physician’s ability to select the appropriate site to ablate, improving procedural efficacy. Similarly, increasing the speed at which a mapping system can provide a high-resolution map may significantly reduce procedure time.

Related Links:
Boston Scientific
Oklahoma Health Sciences Center