Cardiac stereotactic body radiation therapy for ventricular tachycardia: Current experience and technical gaps

Palliative Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for the Treatment of Refractory Ventricular Tachycardia

Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) is a promising noninvasive treatment for ventricular tachycardia (VT) that delivers targeted ablative energy to arrhythmogenic regions. Typically reserved for patients with VT refractory to conventional therapies, SBRT offers a viable option for individuals who are ineligible for invasive procedures due to high-risk profiles and multiple comorbidities. We report the case of a 62-year-old patient with refractory VT, deemed unsuitable for further interventions, who underwent SBRT and experienced a reduction in VT episodes. This case highlights the potential palliative application of SBRT in addressing the growing population of older patients with complex comorbid conditions.

Efficacy and Safety of Stereotactic Radiotherapy in Patients With Recurrent Ventricular Tachycardias: The Czech Experience

BACKGROUND

Stereotactic arrhythmia radiotherapy (STAR) has been proposed recently in patients with refractory ventricular tachycardia (VT).

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to describe the efficacy and safety of STAR in the Czech Republic.

METHODS

VT patients were recruited in 2 expert centers after at least 1 previously failed catheter ablation (CA). A precise strategy of target volume determination and CA was used in 17 patients treated from December 2018 until June 2022 (EFFICACY cohort). This group, together with an earlier series of 19 patients with less-defined treatment strategies, composed the SAFETY cohort (n = 36). A dose of 25 Gy was delivered.

RESULTS

In the EFFICACY cohort, the burden of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator therapies decreased, and this drop reached significance for direct current shocks (1.9 ± 3.2 vs 0.1 ± 0.2 per month; P = 0.03). Eight patients (47%) underwent repeated CA for recurrences of VT during 13.7 ± 11.6 months. In the SAFETY cohort (32 procedures, follow-up >6 months), 8 patients (25%) presented with a progression of mitral valve regurgitation, and 3 (9%) required intervention (median follow-up of 33.5 months). Two cases of esophagitis (6%) were seen with 1 death caused by the esophago-pericardial fistula (3%). A total of 18 patients (50%) died during the median follow-up of 26.9 months.

CONCLUSIONS

Although STAR may not be very effective in preventing VT recurrences after failed CA in an expert center, it can still modify the arrhythmogenic substrate, and when used with additional CA, reduce the number of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator shocks. Potentially serious sides effects require close follow-up.

Abdominal compression as motion management for stereotactic radiotherapy of ventricular tachycardia

Background and purpose

Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) has emerged as a promising treatment for patients with ventricular tachycardia (VT) who do not respond to standard treatments. However, the management of respiratory motion during treatment remains a challenge. This study aimed to investigate the effect of abdominal compression (AC) on respiratory induced motion in the heart.

Materials and methods

A patient cohort of 18 lung cancer patients was utilized, where two four-dimensional computed tomography (4DCT) scans were performed for each patient, one with and one without AC. The patient setup consisted of an AC plate together with a stereotactic body frame. The left coronary artery, the left anterior descending artery, the lateral wall of the left ventricle, the heart apex, the carina, and the right and left diaphragm were delineated in max expiration and max inspiration phases in both 4DCT scans. The center of mass shift from expiration to inspiration phase was determined to assess the AC's impact on respiratory motion.

Results

A significant reduction in motion in the superior-inferior direction was found for all heart structures when AC was used. The median respiratory motion of the heart structures decreased by approximately 1-3 mm with AC in the superior-inferior direction, and approximately 60% of the patients had a motion reduction ≥3 mm in the left ventricle wall.

Conclusion

These findings suggest that AC has the potential to improve the motion management of SBRT for VT patients, by reducing the respiratory induced motion in the heart.

Inflammation and fibrosis characterize different stages of myocardial remodeling in patients after stereotactic body radiotherapy of ventricular myocardium for recurrent ventricular tachycardia

We performed a histological and immunohistochemical analysis of myocardia from 3 patients who underwent radiosurgery and died for various reasons 3 months to 9 months after radiotherapy. In Case 1 (death 3 months after radiotherapy) we observed a sharp transition between relatively intact and irradiated regions. In the myolytic foci, only scattered cardiomyocytes were left and the area was infiltrated by immune cells. Using immunohistochemistry we detected numerous inflammatory cells including CD68+/CD11c+ macrophages, CD4+ and CD8+ T-lymphocytes and some scattered CD20+ B-lymphocytes. Mast cells were diminished in contrast to viable myocardium. In Case 2 and Case 3 (death 6 and 9 months after radiotherapy, respectively) we found mostly fibrosis, infiltration by adipose tissue and foci of calcification. Inflammatory infiltrates were less pronounced. Our observations are in accordance with animal experimental studies and confirm a progress from myolysis to fibrosis. In addition, we demonstrate a role of pro-inflammatory macrophages in the earlier stages of myocardial remodeling after stereotactic radioablation for ventricular tachycardia.

Stereotactic Ablative Radiotherapy of Ventricular Tachycardia Using Tracking: Optimized Target Definition Workflow

Background and Purpose

Stereotactic arrhythmia radioablation (STAR) has been suggested as a promising therapeutic alternative in cases of failed catheter ablation for recurrent ventricular tachycardias in patients with structural heart disease. Cyberknife^® robotic radiosurgery system utilizing target tracking technology is one of the available STAR treatment platforms. Tracking using implantable cardioverter-defibrillator lead tip as target surrogate marker is affected by the deformation of marker–target geometry. A simple method to account for the deformation in the target definition process is proposed.

Methods

Radiotherapy planning CT series include scans at expiration and inspiration breath hold, and three free-breathing scans. All secondary series are triple registered to the primary CT: 6D/spine + 3D translation/marker + 3D translation/target surrogate—a heterogeneous structure around the left main coronary artery. The 3D translation difference between the last two registrations reflects the deformation between the marker and the target (surrogate) for the respective respiratory phase. Maximum translation differences in each direction form an anisotropic geometry deformation margin (GDM) to expand the initial single-phase clinical target volume (CTV) to create an internal target volume (ITV) in the dynamic coordinates of the marker. Alternative GDM-based target volumes were created for seven recent STAR patients and compared to the original treated planning target volumes (PTVs) as well as to analogical volumes created using deformable image registration (DIR) by MIM^® and Velocity^® software. Intra- and inter-observer variabilities of the triple registration process were tested as components of the final ITV to PTV margin.

Results

A margin of 2 mm has been found to cover the image registration observer variability. GDM-based target volumes are larger and shifted toward the inspiration phase relative to the original clinical volumes based on a 3-mm isotropic margin without deformation consideration. GDM-based targets are similar (mean DICE similarity coefficient range 0.80–0.87) to their equivalents based on the DIR of the primary target volume delineated by dedicated software.

Conclusion

The proposed GDM method is a simple way to account for marker–target deformation-related uncertainty for tracking with Cyberknife^® and better control of the risk of target underdose. The principle applies to general radiotherapy as well.

Long Term Follow-Up of Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for Refractory Ventricular Tachycardia in Advanced Heart Failure Patients

Background

Initial studies of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for refractory ventricular tachycardia (VT) have demonstrated impressive efficacy. Follow-up analyses have found mixed results and the role of SBRT for refractory VT remains unclear. We performed palliative, cardiac radio ablation in patients with ventricular tachycardia refractory to ablation and medical management.

Methods

Arrhythmogenic regions were targeted by combining computed tomography imaging with electrophysiologic mapping with collaboration from a radiation oncologist, electrophysiologist and cardiac imaging specialist. Patients were treated with a single fraction 25 Gy. Total durations of VT, the quantity of antitachycardia pacing (ATP) and shocks before and after treatment as recorded by implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) were analyzed. Follow-up extended until most recent device interrogation unless transplant, death or repeat ablation occurred sooner.

Results

Fourteen patients (age 50–78, four females) were treated and had an average of two prior ablations. Nine had ACC/AHA Stage D heart failure and three had left ventricular assist devices (LVAD). Two patients died shortly after SBRT, one received a prompt heart transplant and another had significant VT durations in the following months that were inaccurately recorded by their device. Ten of the 14 patients remained with adequate data post SBRT for analysis with an average follow-up duration of 216 days. Seven of those 10 patients had a decrease in VT post SBRT. Comparing the 90 days before treatment to cumulative follow-up, patients had a 59% reduction in VT, 39% reduction in ATP and a 60% reduction in shocks. Four patients received repeat ablation following SBRT. Pneumonitis was the only complication, occurring in four of the fourteen patients.

Conclusion

SBRT may have value in advanced heart failure patients with refractory VT acutely but the utility over long-term follow-up appears modest. Prospective randomized data is needed to better clarify the role of SBRT in managing refractory VT.

Computer modeling of radiofrequency cardiac ablation: 30 years of bioengineering research

This review begins with a rationale of the importance of theoretical, mathematical and computational models for radiofrequency (RF) catheter ablation (RFCA). We then describe the historical context in which each model was developed, its contribution to the knowledge of the physics of RFCA and its implications for clinical practice. Next, we review the computer modeling studies intended to improve our knowledge of the biophysics of RFCA and those intended to explore new technologies. We describe the most important technical details of the implementation of mathematical models, including governing equations, tissue properties, boundary conditions, etc. We discuss the utility of lumped element models, which despite their simplicity are widely used by clinical researchers to provide a physical explanation of how RF power is absorbed in different tissues. Computer model verification and validation are also discussed in the context of RFCA. The article ends with a section on the current limitations, i.e. aspects not yet included in state-of-the-art RFCA computer modeling and on future work aimed at covering the current gaps.

Newer Methods for VT Ablation and When to Use Them

Radiofrequency (RF) catheter ablation has long been an important therapy for ventricular tachycardia and frequent symptomatic premature ventricular beats and nonsustained arrhythmias when antiarrhythmic drugs fail to suppress the arrhythmias. It is increasingly used in preference to antiarrhythmic drugs, sparing the patient drug adverse effects. Ablation success varies with the underlying heart disease and type of arrhythmia, being very effective for patients without structural heart disease, less in structural heart disease. Failure occurs when a target for ablation cannot be identified, or ablation lesions fail to reach and abolish the arrhythmia substrate that may be extensive, intramural or subepicardial in location. Approaches to improving ablation lesion creation are modifications to RF ablation and emerging investigational techniques. Easily implemented modifications to RF methods include manipulating the size and location of the cutaneous dispersive electrode, increasing RF delivery duration, and use of lower tonicity catheter irrigation (usually 0.45% saline). When catheters can be placed on either side of culprit substrate RF can be delivered in a bipolar or simultaneous unipolar configuration that can be successful. Catheters with extendable/retractable irrigated needles for RF delivery are under investigation in clinical trials. Cryoablation is potentially useful in specific situations when maintaining contact is difficult. Transvascular ethanol ablation and stereotactic radioablation have both shown promise for arrhythmias that fail other ablation strategies. Although substantial clinical progress has been achieved, further improvement is clearly needed. With ability to increase ablation lesion size, continued careful evaluation of safety, which has been excellent for standard RF ablation, remains important.