Novel ECG-based Method for Identification of Ischemia-Induced Precordial T-Wave Inversions (BIDMC 817)

Category:    Diagnostics/Biomarkers

KeyWords:  

BIDMC ID:    817

Abstract:

Background: The differential diagnosis of precordial T-wave inversions (TWI) poses a significant clinical challenge. Precordial TWI has a wide range of etiologies, from a normal variant to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and life-threatening myocardial ischemia. Because of the difficulty in distinguishing between the causes of TWI, many physicians, upon seeing TWI, are compelled to perform expensive catheterizations, angiograms, hospital admissions, time-consuming and costly evaluations to rule out ischemia. Invention: The method identifies the criteria necessary to differentiate between the benign pacing-induced cardiac memory-related TWIs and TWIs that result from ischemia and infarction. Cardiac memory is usually exhibited when a heart is paced for some period of time, and then the pacing is stopped. Frequently, the T-wave following the pacing appears inverted. A similar TWI effect is frequently observed in ischemic patients. The inventors identified that cardiac memory resulting from right ventricular pacing has a frontal T-vector direction different from that of anterior ischemic TWI, thereby enabling discrimination between the two.

Inventor:   Alexei Shvilkin, MD and Mark E. Josephson, MD

Commercial Opportunity:

This technology can be used to improve the computer-assisted ECG analysis in commercial packages such as 12SL algorithm, GRI, or similar software.

Competitive Advantages:

Improved discrimination between ischemic and non-ischemic TWI will potentially reduce the number of expensive, risk-associated catheterizations, angiograms, and hospital admissions.

Related Publications:

Circulation. 2005;111:969-974

State of Development:

US and foreign applications pending.

Related Technology URL:

Patent Status:

TVO Contact Info:
     Catherine M Lenich
     Senior Associate TVO
     clenich@bidmc.harvard.edu
     Phone: 617-667-0568   Fax: 617-667-0646

     Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
     Technology Ventures Office  Room: BR-0200
     330 Brookline Avenue
     Boston, MA 02215