Arrhythmias & electrophysiologyCohort study
Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for Ventricular Tachycardia (VT) in Chagas Cardiomyopathy
- prospective study
- single 25-Gy fraction of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT)
Authors' conclusion
SBRT is a feasible approach for refractory VT in Chagas cardiomyopathy. Despite a high rate of VT recurrence, SBRT statistically significantly reduced the burden of ventricular arrhythmia, warranting further investigation.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with Chagas cardiomyopathy and refractory VT who had failed or were ineligible for catheter ablationpatients with implantable cardioverter-defibrillators, 9 of whom had prior failed ablations
- Participants
- Eleven patients
- Exposure
- 12 months after SBRT vs 6 months before SBRT
- SBRTn = Eleven
- Outcome
- Reduction in VT burden and treatment-related adverse events
- Follow-up
- 12 months after SBRT vs 6 months before SBRT
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Reduction in burden of VT episodes
P = 0.040
Reduction in antitachycardia pacing therapies
P = 0.012
Reduction in combined antitachycardia pacing/shocks
P = 0.022
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Target volumes
cm3
- Median internal target volume
- 27.3
- Planning target volume
- 91.1
VT recurrence · median follow-up of 160 days
- VT recurred in patients
- 10
- Median time to recurrence after a 6-week blanking period
- 79 days (IQR: 51.5-167)
Overall survival · 12 months
- 12-month overall survival
- 45.5%
- The patient without recurrence died of noncardiac causes 22 days after SBRT
Original publication
Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for VT in Chagas Cardiomyopathy. JACC Clin Electrophysiol. Published 11 September 2026. doi:10.1016/j.jacep.2026.06.023
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it