Optimization of Right Ventricular Conductance Catheter Configurations Using Finite Element Modeling and Direct Search Algorithms

Catheter curvature can affect accuracy of conduc-tance volume measurement, especially with complex geometries such as the right ventricular chamber. In order to evaluate reduction in volume measurement error with the use of conductance catheter configu-rations with optimized curvature, we present results from using direct search algorithms to find the opti-mal curvature and electrode distribution in the right ventricle. It was found that there is an apparent in-crease in accuracy with curvature (down to zero per-cent volume error), owing to greater linearity in the region of field which was farther from the exciting electrodes. Optimal curvature and number of elec-trodes depended on the ratio between an extreme point (ep) distance (representing the degree of curva-ture) and a source point (sp) distance (representing half the distance between source and sink), and also with the position of the first and last measurement electrodes