Fig. 3

Dose-dependence of lesion volume measured using LGE cMRI. Data at (a) 24 h, (b) 7 days, and (c) 6 weeks after ablation. A linear mixed effects model was used to compare voltages, taking the form: volume ~ voltage + (1|ID) (*p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001). Similarly, the model used to compare varying numbers of pulse trains at 1500 V was: volume ~ Ntrains + (1|ID). (d) Temporal evolution of lesion volumes created by different PFA dose schemes (model: volume ~ time + (1|ID) + (1|voltage) + (1|Ntrains)). (e). Strong agreement was observed between the 6-week lesion dimensions measured using LGE cMRI and gross pathology. Taken separately, the depth and width models were y = 0.65x + 1.18 (R² = 0.59, p < 0.01), and y = 0.81x + 1.86 (R² = 0.66 p < 0.01) respectively. PFA lesions at 6 weeks visualized in f) 3D LGE cMRI (30 min after gadolinium injection), in g) a formalin-fixed cross section of the heart, and in h) a Masson’s trichrome stained histology slide (scale bars: 10 mm).