Body-Surface Atrial Vector Similarity as a New Way to Investigate Atrial Fibrillation Propagation Dynamics

Pietro Bonizzi*, Stef Zeemering, Joël Karel, Theo Lankveld, Ulrich Schotten, Harry Crijns, Ralf Peeters, Olivier Meste

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference article in proceedingAcademicpeer-review

37 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Atrial propagation patterns during atrial fibrillation (AF) can be characterized by a certain degree of recurrence (associated with different types of reentrant circuits that can drive the arrhythmia). In this study, we investigated this recurrent activity at the level of the body-surface, by measuring the level of similarity between pairs of consecutive atrial vectors. High-density body surface potential maps (120 anterior, 64 posterior electrodes) were recorded in 75 patients in persistent AF. For each patient, atrial vectors were created by taking the samples from all electrodes at each time instant. Similarity between consecutive vectors was measured in terms of the value of the cosine of the angle between two vectors. In all patients, the series of cosine values showed a quasi-periodic behavior, with atrial vectors alternating between phases of slow motion, and phases of fast motion. Moreover, the frequency of this behavior is about twice the AF dominant frequency, which suggests that within one AF cycle there are two phases of slow motion and two of fast motion, alternating. Finally, the amount of slow phases is positively correlated with a higher long-term recurrent behavior of the atrial propagation patterns. This seems to indicate that atrial vectors may provide a new way to noninvasively investigate atrial fibrillation dynamics.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publication2021 Computing in Cardiology (CinC)
PublisherThe IEEE
Pages1-4
Number of pages4
Volume48
ISBN (Electronic)9781665479165
ISBN (Print)978-1-6654-6721-6
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 15 Sept 2021
Event2021 Computing in Cardiology (CinC) - Brno, Czech Republic, Brno, Czech Republic
Duration: 13 Sept 202115 Sept 2021
http://www.cinc2021.org/

Publication series

SeriesComputing in Cardiology Conference
ISSN2325-8861

Conference

Conference2021 Computing in Cardiology (CinC)
Country/TerritoryCzech Republic
CityBrno
Period13/09/2115/09/21
Internet address

Keywords

  • Electrodes
  • Correlation coefficient
  • Electric potential
  • Dynamics
  • Atrial fibrillation
  • Organizations
  • Frequency measurement

Cite this