Dublin cardiology centre treats world’s first patient in pioneering study 

Irish patients are being enrolled in the LUMINIZE clinical study investigating a new cardiac imaging system. Priscilla Lynch reports 

A Dublin cardiology centre is the first institution globally to enrol patients in a clinical study of a pioneering four-dimensional catheter-based imaging system.

The VERAFEYE Navigation and Visualisation Platform from LUMA Vision Ltd aims to transform the field of interventional electrophysiology by combining advanced manoeuvrability with cutting-edge imaging technology to deliver real-time, four-dimensional, CT-quality anatomical reconstructions of the heart in under 60 seconds.

Traditional imaging catheters provide only two-dimensional imaging, often limiting clinicians’ ability to view cardiac anatomy from all angles during procedures. The VERAFEYE imaging system offers 360-degree visualisation with enhanced depth and clarity in real time, overcoming the limitations of traditional two-dimensional imaging, and enabling clinicians to navigate and visualise cardiac anatomy dynamically from all angles.

The system’s ultrasound probe magnetically tracks the navigation of third-party catheters, empowering clinicians to perform complex procedures with greater precision and control.

The VERAFEYE system is now being trialled in a proof of concept first-in-human trial (LUMINIZE clinical study) being carried out in the Mater Private, Dublin, in collaboration with researchers at the Cardiovascular Research Institute, Dublin, and the RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, led by Prof Gábor Széplaki, Head of Cardiac Electrophysiology at Mater Private Network.

The LUMINIZE study, which has already had one patient undergo a cardiac procedure using the VERAFEYE system, is currently enrolling patients due to undergo catheter-based ablation treatment for typical atrial flutter or atrial fibrillation (A fib) or a left atrial appendage/atrial septal defect closure procedure. The first phase of the study will enrol 20 patients with plans to potentially expand that to 40, Prof Széplaki told the Medical Independent (MI).

Prof Széplaki said that the new VERAFEYE system combines state-of-the-art imaging technology with advanced manoeuvrability, enabling clinicians to capture highly detailed, four-dimensional images that update in real time, “so to monitor the procedure directly”.

“I expect to have better outcomes for patients using this new technology. Also, crucially, it uses less radiation during the procedure… [and] the more we can reduce that for everyone, patients and healthcare staff, the better,” he told MI.

Ultimately the new technology provides crucial support for complex cardiac interventions enhancing accuracy, efficiency, and safety in advanced electrophysiology procedures, Prof Széplaki noted. He added that cardiac ablation procedures have evolved significantly in the last two decades, and are now much faster, safer and effective for suitable patients. Their uptake is likely to continue to grow in line with our ageing population and increased detection rates of conditions like A fib.