Online noninvasive localization of accessory pathways in the EP lab

Abstract

Inverse electrocardiography has been developing during the last years and is about to become a valuable clinical tool for analyzing arrhythmias and electrical dysfunction in general. By combining measurements obtained by electrocardiographic body surface mapping with three-dimensional anatomical data, the electrical activation sequence of the individual human heart can be imaged noninvasively. This technique was applied on-line in the electrophysiology lab. The results of four patients, who underwent an interventional electrophysiology study, are presented in this paper. The sites of early activation were compared to the locations of successful radio-frequency ablation. The location error was found to be between 13 and 20 mm. This promising finding may bring this noninvasive method closer to clinical application. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2004.