Imricor Marks Medical Milestone with First MRI-Guided Ischemic VT Ablation

Imricor Medical Systems has achieved a major breakthrough in the treatment of life-threatening heart rhythm disorders, announcing the world’s first ischemic ventricular tachycardia (VT) ablation performed entirely under real-time MRI guidance. The procedure was completed at Amsterdam University Medical Centre using Imricor’s suite of MRI-compatible cardiac devices.

The intervention marks a new era in electrophysiology, with several world firsts delivered in a single procedure. Notably, it was the first time that a transseptal crossing—from the right to the left side of the heart—was performed in a human under MRI guidance. The team also conducted the first substrate-guided ablation and the first ablation within the left ventricle under real-time MRI.

Dr Michiel Kemme led the procedure, which also included a pioneering step: treating a patient with an implanted cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), a cohort previously considered too risky for this method. Post-procedure, the patient was non-inducible for VT, signalling immediate procedural success.

Dr Kemme emphasised the precision that MRI guidance offers. “The MRI imaging shows us precisely where the myocardial infarction took place; therefore, we can send the catheter to the exact spot. This information has the potential to make ablation more effective,” he said.

Ischemic VT is one of the most difficult cardiac arrhythmias to treat. Conventional ablations often last more than eight hours and have success rates as low as 40 percent. The MRI-guided procedure represents a significant leap in both efficiency and clinical outcome potential.

The breakthrough is also a critical step in Imricor’s ongoing VISABL-VT clinical trial, which aims to prove the safety and effectiveness of MRI-guided VT ablation. More European sites are expected to join the trial in coming months, as interest in this technology builds.

Imricor’s Chair and Chief Executive Officer Steve Wedan described the milestone as “a defining moment” for the company and the field. “Performing the world’s first ischemic VT ablation entirely inside the MRI validates our core vision,” he said. “This milestone settles the science and opens the future. The ability to perform complex ablations entirely inside the MRI is no longer theoretical. It is real, and it is just the beginning.”

With growing clinical acceptance for its products in treating simpler arrhythmias, such as atrial flutter, Imricor anticipates this achievement will accelerate adoption of its real-time MRI-guided technology and shorten commercial timelines. Its devices are approved in the European Union, Saudi Arabia and New Zealand, with US regulatory approval pending.

As the global electrophysiology community continues to seek more precise and patient-friendly technologies, Imricor’s work may well be laying the groundwork for a new standard of care in complex cardiac ablations.