Interventional cardiac electrophysiology has undergone a rapid development in technique and application in recent years. New 3-dimensional techniques have been proposed for catheter navigation in the heart but, an up-to-date X-ray guide is still indispensable for the correct positioning of catheters in the different cardiac chambers. An Atlas of Radioscopic Catheter Placement presents fundamental knowledge about radiographic anatomy of the heart and some advices to correctly move and rotate the catheters, in a concise and clear manner.
The heart is a four-dimensional structure, comprising three spatial dimensions of shape and one temporal dimension of motion. Many technological advances in the field of imaging, such as intracardiac echocardiography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and 3-D electroanatomical image integration mapping systems, have enhanced our ability to visualize, map, and navigate in the heart. Nevertheless, fluoroscopy remains the cornerstone of all interventional electrophysiology procedures and, with the limitations of current technologies, will continue to be extensively used for many years to come.
A skilled fluoroscopist with the use of multiple projections can deduce the anatomy and catheter location with remarkable spatial detail. However, since fluoroscopy provides a real-time unmodified view to the operator, there is no easy way to organize the multiple measurements taken from a moving catheter into a more clinically useful model of cardiac electrical activity. As a result, significant clinical experience with fluoroscopy is necessary to accurately position catheters at an exact intracardiac site.
Atlas of Radioscopic Catheter Placement for the Electrophysiologist is unique because it is the first book that provides a teaching tool for fellows in training, allied health professionals and accomplished electrophysiologists on relevant X-ray views commonly encountered in different electrophysiology procedures, and how these views correlate with cardiac anatomy. It was specifically designed to address this challenging aspects of all electrophysiology procedures systematically and is written in a perspicuous manner to demystify the subject, thus making it easier to better understand cardiac anatomy and successfully perform electrophysiology procedures.
From the reviews:
"This is an in-depth pictorial review of fluoroscopic anatomy related to electrophysiological studies, including pacing and radiofrequency catheter ablative procedures. ? It will be of interest to practicing cardiologists, elctrophysiologists, and cardiology and electrophysiology fellows in training. This atlas may also be of interest to personnel in cardiac catheterization and electrophysiology laboratories, such as nurses and technicians, who work closely with elctrophysiologists. ? All chapters are well organized with numerous images and procedural descriptions." (Anil Verma, Doody's Review Service, February, 2009)
