Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Wave mapping: detection of co-existing multiple wavefronts in high-resolution electrical mapping

  • Published:
Medical and Biological Engineering and Computing Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

High-resolution mapping makes it possible to reconstruct and display the conduction pattern of the action potential as it propagates through cardiac or smooth muscles. During slow and regular activity, time mapping of the spread of activation is relatively simple and straightforward. However, when frequencies are high or conduction is slow, such as seen during atrial fibrillation or found in the pregnant uterus, the tracking of individual waves may become more difficult and uncertain. In order to reconstruct the pathway of a single wave, a search and sorting routine was developed which makes it possible to distinguish, track and display individual wavelets. The algorithm is able to detect variations in conduction block, spontaneous shifts in the location of the pacemaker and changes in the direction of conduction. It is less sensitive when two or more wavefronts intermingle in space and time, such as during collision or fusion. Wave mapping is especially useful, in addition to current time mapping, in sorting quickly through the large amount of data produced by high-resolution mapping of electrical activities in cardiac and smooth muscle.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • De Bakker, J. M. T., van Capelle, F. J. L., Janse, M. J., Tasseron, S., Vermuelen, J. T., de Jonge, N., andLahpor, J. R. (1993): ‘Slow conduction in the infarcted human heart: ‘Zigzag’ course of activation’,Circulation,88, pp. 915–926

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoeks, A. P. G., Schmitz, G. M. L., Allessie, M. A., Jas, H., Hollen, S. J., andReneman, R. S. (1988): ‘Multichannel storage and display system to record the electrical activity of the heart’,Med. Biol. Eng. Comput.,26, pp. 434–438

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ideker, R. E., Smith, W. M., Wallace, A. G., Kasell, J., Harrison, L. A., Klein, G. J., Kinicki, R. E., andGallagher, J. J. (1979): ‘A computerized method for the rapid display of ventricular activation during the intraoperative study of arrhythmias’,Circulation,59, pp. 449–458

    Google Scholar 

  • Kirchhof, C., Chorro, F., Scheffer, G. J., Brugada, J., Konings, K., Zetelaki, Z., andAllessie, M. (1993): ‘Regional entrainment of atrial fibrillation studied by high-resolution mapping in openchest dogs’,Circulation,88, pp. 736–749

    Google Scholar 

  • Lammers, W. J. E. P., Kirchhof, C., Bonke, F. I. M., andAllessie, M. A. (1992): ‘Vulnerability of rabbit atrium to reentry by hypoxia: role of inhomogeneity in conduction and wavelength’,Am. J. Physiol.,262, pp. H47-H55

    Google Scholar 

  • Lammers, W. J. E. P., Al-Kais, A., Singh, S., Arafat, K., andElsharkawy, T. Y. (1993): ‘Multi-electrode mapping of slow wave activity in the isolated rabbit duodenum’,J. Appl. Physiol.,74, pp. 1454–1461

    Google Scholar 

  • Lammers, W. J. E. P., andEl-Sarkawy, T. Y. (1994): ‘Development and potential of high-density electrical mapping in the gastrointestinal system’,Int. Pharmacy J.,8, pp. 13–17

    Google Scholar 

  • Mendler, P., Parson, I., andDownar, E. (1980): ‘Multichannel recording of cardiac potentials’,Med. Biol. Eng. Comput.,18, pp. 617–624

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Simpson, E. V., Ideker, R. E., Cabo, C., Yabe, S., Zhou, X., Melnick, S. B., andSmith, W. M. (1993): ‘Evaluation of an automatic cardiac activation detector for bipolar electrograms’,Med. Biol. Eng. Comput.,31, pp. 118–128

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wit, A. L., Allessie, M. A., Bonke, F. I. M., Lammers, W. J. E. P., andSmeets, J. L. R. M. (1982): ‘Electrophysiological mapping to determine the mechanism of inducible ventricular tachycardia: experimental approach and initial results demonstrating reentrant excitation,’Am. J. Cardiol.,49, pp. 166–185

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wit, A. L., Tischler, A. A., andDillon, S. (1986): ‘Mapping impulse propagation in the heart: an approach to the study of arrhythmogenesis,’Int. J. Cardiac Imaging,2, pp. 65–70

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, PO Box 17666, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates

    W. J. E. P. Lammers, E. El-Kays, K. Arafat & T. Y. El-Sharkawy

Authors
  1. W. J. E. P. Lammers
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. E. El-Kays
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. K. Arafat
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. T. Y. El-Sharkawy
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lammers, W.J.E.P., El-Kays, E., Arafat, K. et al. Wave mapping: detection of co-existing multiple wavefronts in high-resolution electrical mapping. Med. Biol. Eng. Comput. 33, 476–481 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02510533

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02510533

Keywords

Search

Navigation