Feasibility Study on Cardiac Arrhythmia Ablation Using High-Energy Heavy Ion Beams

Sci Rep. 2016 Dec 20:6:38895. doi: 10.1038/srep38895.

Abstract

High-energy ion beams are successfully used in cancer therapy and precisely deliver high doses of ionizing radiation to small deep-seated target volumes. A similar noninvasive treatment modality for cardiac arrhythmias was tested here. This study used high-energy carbon ions for ablation of cardiac tissue in pigs. Doses of 25, 40, and 55 Gy were applied in forced-breath-hold to the atrioventricular junction, left atrial pulmonary vein junction, and freewall left ventricle of intact animals. Procedural success was tracked by (1.) in-beam positron-emission tomography (PET) imaging; (2.) intracardiac voltage mapping with visible lesion on ultrasound; (3.) lesion outcomes in pathohistolgy. High doses (40-55 Gy) caused slowing and interruption of cardiac impulse propagation. Target fibrosis was the main mediator of the ablation effect. In irradiated tissue, apoptosis was present after 3, but not 6 months. Our study shows feasibility to use high-energy ion beams for creation of cardiac lesions that chronically interrupt cardiac conduction.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis / radiation effects
  • Arrhythmias, Cardiac / diagnostic imaging
  • Arrhythmias, Cardiac / metabolism
  • Arrhythmias, Cardiac / pathology
  • Arrhythmias, Cardiac / radiotherapy*
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation
  • Female
  • Male
  • Myocardium / metabolism
  • Myocardium / pathology
  • Positron-Emission Tomography
  • Radiotherapy, High-Energy / methods*
  • Sus scrofa