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Abstract:
Abnormal electrical conduction and excitability associated with fibrosis in the left atrium (LA) may serve as a substrate for atrial fibrillation (AF). Electroanatomical voltage mapping systems (EAMs) have become a dominant facilitator to treat AF with surgical ablation assisted by additional diagnostic imaging modalities. Importantly, AF has been associated with structural changes to the extracellular matrix of the myocardium, including increased collagen deposition-a process known as fibrosis. Late gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (LGE-MRI) may aid in guiding AF cardiac ablation therapy by determination of fibrosis in the LA. To locate fibrosis for cardiac ablation, however, precise registration between EAMs and LGE-MRI data is crucial. The purpose of this thesis was to develop a method for registering EAMs with late gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance image (LGE-MR) images.