Two-Dimensional Propagation Of Magnetocardiac T Wave Signals For Characterizing Myocardial Ischemia

Instead of detecting electrical signals for diagnosing cardiac abnormalities, a promising alternative is to detect the magnetic signals generated from cardiac electrical currents. The system utilizing 64 low-transition-temperature superconducting quantum interference devices was tested to detect the time-dependent magnetocardiac signals that are spatially distributed over the heart. To achieve efficient acquisition and analysis, we propose a method to detect two-dimensionally, the T wave propagation of electromagnetic signals of beating hearts. In addition to characterizing the propagating behaviors, the differences between normal hearts and those with coronary artery disease were investigated. (c) 2008 American Institute of Physics.