MRI - high resolution cardiac thermometry on a clinical scanner using intercardiac COILS

The project aims to develop novel MRI instrumentation and real-time image acquisition/processing methods to monitor temperature during the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias by radio frequency catheterization. This project is a major progress in the improvement of the quality of cardiac MRI.

Project holder : Bruno Quesson

Control of radiofrequency ablations by thermometry (MRI) for atria and ventricles

The CARTLOVE project aims to improve the assessment of the lesions created by radiofrequency ablation treatments of arrhythmias by providing immediate visualization during ablation using MRI thermometry.

Project holder : Valery Ozenne 

Characterization of the electrophysiological substrate underlying ventricular fibrillation in sudden cardiac death with apparently normal hearts

Ventricular fibrillation is a severe form of cardiac arrhythmia, which can lead to death if not quickly managed. This project aims to understand the cardiac electrical disorders that may be involved in idiopathic ventricular fibrillation. It could lead to new diagnostic and therapeutic options for this rhythm disorder.

Project holder : Elodie Surget

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia. Among the known mechanisms involved in AF, the cAMP-binding protein Epac1 has recently emerged as a promising target. The ELECTRO project aims to determine the therapeutic potential of pharmacological inhibition of Epac1 in relevant models of AF and the associated mechanisms.

Project holder : Fabien Brette

Through the MUSIC project, a multimodal exploration tool has been created, combining the different existing technologies in the study of cardiac electrical disorders, in order to allow a multiparametric evaluation of pathologies, and treatment guidance on a unique platform.

MUSIC is being used for therapeutic purposes in more than 20 international hospitals. This work has benefited from a state grant managed by the Agence Nationale de la Recherche under the "Investissements d'avenir" programme bearing the reference "ANR-11-EQPX-0030."

Project holder : Professeur Pierre Jaïs

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The HEARTFACT project will develop new 2D & 3D approaches to cardiac MRI, combined with automatic segmentation based on artificial intelligence to differentiate blood from tissue. This will improve the diagnostic capabilities of cardiac MRI, and transform the management of cardiovascular diseases.

Project holder : Aurélien Bustin

Magnetic detection of the arrhythmogenic ventricular substrate

Ventricular arrhythmias are a major cause of sudden cardiac death in Europe (350,000 deaths/year). The MAESTRO project aims to evaluate a network of ultrasensitive magnetometers on pathological and in-vivo heart models, in order to develop a non-invasive identification method for signals related to a high risk of sudden cardiac death.

Project holder : Professor Michel Haissaguerre 

The infundibulum of the right ventricle is one of the main anatomical sources of ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. Myocardial stretch could be an important regulator causing arrhythmias in the right ventricle. The MEGaVOLT project is investigating the contribution of this acute and chronic stretch to right ventricular outflow obstruction to identify associated mechanisms of chronic INF stretch.

Project holder : David Benoist

The aim of MITOCARD is to make a significant advance in the understanding of cardiac electrophysiology by integrating mitochondrial properties of cell signaling into the understanding of cardiac rhythm diseases.

Project holder : Philippe Diolez 

Multimodal fibre optic probe for highly resolved localization of cardiac fibrosis

One of the main causes of sudden cardiac death is ventricular fibrillation, which results from structural heart disease. The MultiFib consortium is developing and validating a new fibre-optic probe for diagnostic and therapeutic use in the morphological and biochemical characterization of arrhythmogenic substrates in cardiac tissue.

Project holder : Richard Walton

The heart has an electrical conduction network called the Purkinje network (PN) which is responsible for cardiac contraction and may be involved in ventricular fibrillation. The objective of the SYNATRA project is to develop an innovative technique to characterize, for the first time, the PN by contrasted 3D MRI, using high resolution inhomogeneous magnetization transfer imaging at ultra-high field.

Project holder : Julie Magat