An active electrolocation catheter system for imaging and analysis of coronary plaques

Abstract

Coronary artery disease-currently one of the most frequent causes of death-is characterized by atherosclerotic plaques grown in the wall of blood vessels and inhibiting blood flow. Preventive assessment focusses on critical sizes of structural plaque parameters like relative lipid core area and cap thickness to identify high-risk plaques called thin cap fibroatheromas. Although state-of-the-art catheter systems were successfully applied in invasive plaque diagnostics, the high costs induced by these devices inhibit usage in daily clinical practice. To overcome this shortcoming, we follow a biomimetic approach to construct a prospective low-cost catheter system that adapts the active electrolocation principles of weakly electric fish Gnathonemus petersii. Only a few and simple parameters relevant for plaque detection and characterization are estimated from plaque-evoked electric images which are projected on the surface of the catheter. Two prototypical electrolocation catheter systems were tested. The first catheter system featured a ring electrode catheter and was used to obtain dynamic 1D electric images of synthetic plaques in an agarose atherosclerosis model. Our proof of concept showed that synthetic plaques could be reliably detected from 1D electric images. Based on a cluster analysis of selected key image features, synthetic plaques could be categorized into four plaque conditions, predefined from thresholds for critical structural parameters, representing high to low risk plaques. In the second recording approach, plaque-evoked dynamic and static spatial electric images were obtained by a multi-electrode catheter system. Based on these recordings, a synthetic plaque with a critical cap thickness could be detected and localized in a pig coronary artery.

Electric-Color Sensing in Weakly Electric Fish Suggests Color Perception as a Sensory Concept beyond Vision

“…On a broader scope, the similar computational ''goals and strategies'' [15] underlying both types of color sensing and resembling aspects of color traits suggest color perception as a sensory concept beyond vision and passive sensing. Beyond biology, our findings might help improve recent biomimetic applications (i.e., technical versions of the active electric sense) used, e.g., for analysis of atherosclerotic plaques in blood vessels [40] or underwater object inspections [e.g., 41].…”

Waveform Sensors: The Next Challenge in Biomimetic Electroreception

“…9 This idea combines the ability of active electroreception to evaluate surface texture with the possibility to detect capacitive elements as plates of atheroma due to the deposit of cholesterol. In this case, the authors tested two models: the first with one ring electrode which can obtain dynamic one-dimension electric images and the second with 16 (4x4) ring electrodes which can obtain dynamic and static electric images.…”

“…Research on artificial electroreception was boosted after this modality was implemented in underwater robots, 7 electrotomography and intravascular catheters for medical and other purposes. 8,9 This review focuses on the bioinspiring potential of research in natural electroreceptors, the present models that could be artificially implemented and the importance of waveform sensing receptive mosaics to medical and non-medical devices. Discussion is organized in three chapters dealing with electroreception in aquatic animals, natural sensors, bioinspired artificial sensors and the present models for waveforms sensing artificial sensors.…”

A Dense Conformal Electrode Array for High Spatial Resolution Stimulation of Electrosensory Systems

“…Studies of electrosensory and electromotor systems have shed light on a wide range of issues in neuroscience, evolutionary biology, and ecology as well as providing inspiration for the development of artificial sensors and robotics systems. [3][4][5] Although the early stages of electrosensory processing have been extensively studied in a number of species, the lack of and water absorption rate. [11] Viventi et al (2011) demonstrated an actively multiplexed highly-dense electrode array for mapping in vivo brain activity using flexible silicon technology.…”