Abstract
In a study on five patients the focus of premature ectopic ventricular activity was assessed noninvasively using integral body surface potential maps and inverse solution in terms of a single dipole. Precision of the inverse solution was studied using three different torso models: homogeneous torso model, torso model including the inhomogeneities of lungs and heart ventricles, and inhomogeneous torso model including lungs, heart ventricles and atria, aorta and pulmonary artery.
The solution was more stable when the homogeneous model was used. However, in some patients the location of the resulting dipole representing the focus of ectopic activity was shifted between solutions using the homogeneous and inhomogeneous models.
Comparison of solutions with inhomogeneous torso models did not show significantly different dispersions, but localization of the focus was better when a torso model including atria and arteries was used. The obtained results suggest that noninvasive localization of the ectopic focus can be used to shorten the time needed for successful ablation and to increase its success rate.