A newly developed 4D heart model is showing promise in improving treatment outcomes for patients with heart failure undergoing cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT).
The model uses cardiac MRI data to create a patient-specific digital twin of the heart.
These dynamic, “beating” 3D representations allow clinicians to better guide the placement of CRT pacemakers, which are used to restore coordinated contraction of the heart muscle in patients with impaired cardiac function.
In the study, 202 patients across seven Canadian centres were followed for six months after receiving CRT.
Patients whose treatment was guided by the 4D model showed significantly better outcomes compared to those receiving standard care.
Heart function improved by 10.8% in the model-guided group, compared to 5.8% in the control group.
Additionally, 66% of patients in the intervention group experienced clinical improvement, versus 52% in the standard care group.
Importantly, the use of the digital model did not increase procedure time, complication rates or recovery risks.
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