Cardiac arrhythmias are one of cardiology’s major current challenges. They occur when the heart rhythm becomes irregular, too fast, or too slow, affecting both quality of life and survival. An estimated 60 million-plus people worldwide have some type of arrhythmia, and this figure continues to rise with population aging and the growth of cardiovascular disease.

Despite therapeutic advances, accurately diagnosing and effectively treating complex arrhythmias remains difficult, underscoring the need for technologies that better characterize cardiac electrical activity and support personalized clinical decisions.

Technology to Map the Heart 

Corify Care, a Spanish medical tech spin-off from Gregorio Marañón General University Hospital, Madrid, with support from the CaixaImpulse program of the “la Caixa” Foundation, a Spanish philanthropy that funds biomedical innovation, has brought Acorys to market. Acorys is the first noninvasive, real-time global heart-mapping system capable of recording the heart’s electrical activity in just 10 minutes from the patient’s arrival at the hospital. The advance speeds diagnosis and improves precision and safety in arrhythmia treatment.

The noninvasive electrocardiography system is the result of 20 years of research, spanning basic studies, preclinical work, and clinical trials. It was developed at the Translational Research Laboratory in Cardiology at Gregorio Marañón General University Hospital, in collaboration with the Gregorio Marañón Health Research Institute and the Innovation Support Unit, combining scientific expertise, advanced technology, and a clinical approach. CaixaImpulse provided funding and strategic support, helping the technology move from research to clinical validation and ultimately to commercialisation.

To date, with more than 2200 patients treated and steadily growing clinical adoption, this heart-mapping system is establishing itself as a benchmark in precision cardiology. It is currently in use at hospitals in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, and Zaragoza, as well as in Lisbon (Portugal) and centres in Sweden, with plans to expand to Germany and the US.

How Acorys Works

The technology analyses the heart’s electrical signals using a surface electrocardiogram and applies advanced algorithms and artificial intelligence to generate precise three-dimensional maps of cardiac electrical activity. This enables more effective ablation in cases ranging from atrial fibrillation — where the atria beat rapidly and irregularly, increasing stroke risk — to ventricular tachycardia, characterized by a very rapid rhythm originating in the ventricles that can be life-threatening if untreated.

Despite recent advances, more than 50% of ablation procedures for complex arrhythmias fail, often because physicians cannot pinpoint the region of the heart that requires treatment. Corify’s technology helps address this limitation by offering a comprehensive, real-time view of the heart, increasing the effectiveness and safety of procedures.

This heart-mapping system represents a true paradigm shift from the traditional approach, which relied on lengthy invasive procedures and offered a limited view of cardiac electrical activity. Acorys enables comprehensive, rapid, and noninvasive mapping, optimizing treatment precision and illustrating how translational research and technological innovation can transform clinical practice and tangibly improve patients’ lives.

Clinical Impact and International Consolidation

Corify has received recognition across Europe for its clinical impact, earning several prestigious awards and the endorsement of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology. After achieving CE marking in 2024 under the EU Medical Devices Regulation, which allows commercial use across the European Union after conformity assessment, it is now in the process of obtaining the US FDA’s marketing authorisation. 

In addition, Acorys heart-mapping technology has been included in the European Society of Cardiology clinical consensus statement on indications for conduction system pacing.

This story was translated from El Medico Interactivo, part of the Medscape Professional network.