Abstract
Background
Magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography in patients with ventricular tachycardia (VT) after myocardial infarction (MI) helps to delineate scar from healthy tissue. Image-guided VT ablation has not yet been studied on a large scale.
Objective
The aim of the meta-analysis was to compare the long-term outcome of image-guided VT ablation with a conventional approach for VT after MI.
Methods
Eight electronic bibliographic databases were searched to identify all relevant studies from 2012 until 2018. The search for scientific literature was performed for studies that described the outcome of VT ablation in patients with an ischaemic substrate. The outcome of image-guided ablation was compared with the outcome of conventional ablations.
Results
Of the 2990 citations reviewed for eligibility, 38 articles—enrolling a total of 7748 patients—were included into the meta-analysis. Five articles included patients with image-guided ablation. VT-free survival was 82% [74–90] in the image-guided VT ablation versus 59% [54–64] in the conventional ablation group (p < 0.001) during a mean follow-up of 35 months. Overall survival was 94% [90–98] in the image-guided versus 82% [76–88] in the conventional VT ablation group (p < 0.001).
Conclusions
Image-guided VT ablation in ischaemic VT was associated with a significant benefit in VT-free and overall survival as compared with conventional VT ablation. Visualising myocardial scar facilitates substrate-guided ablation procedures, pre-procedurally and by integrating imaging during the procedure, and may consequently improve long-term outcome.
Analysis of long-term outcome of image-guided volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) for primary malignant tumor of the cervical spine
