Detection of U wave activity in healthy volunteers by high-resolution magnetocardiography

Goernig, Matthias; Haueisen, Jens; Liehr, Mario; Schlosser, Markus; Figulla, Hans R.; Leder, Uwe

doi:10.1016/j.jelectrocard.2009.06.004

« Previous Next »Journal of Electrocardiology
Volume 43, Issue 1 , Pages 43-47, January 2010

Detection of U wave activity in healthy volunteers by high-resolution magnetocardiography☆

Matthias Goernig, MD
- Clinic of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital of Jena, Jena, Germany
- Corresponding author. Clinic of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital of Jena, Erlanger Allee 101, D-07747 Jena, Germany.
Jens Haueisen, PhD
- Biomagnetic Centre, Clinic of Neurology, University Hospital of Jena, Jena, Germany
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Informatics, University of Technology, Gustav-Kirchhoff-Str. 1, Ilmenau, Germany
Mario Liehr, PhD
- Clinic of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital of Jena, Jena, Germany
- Biomagnetic Centre, Clinic of Neurology, University Hospital of Jena, Jena, Germany
Markus Schlosser, MD
- Clinic of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital of Jena, Jena, Germany
Hans R. Figulla, MD
- Clinic of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital of Jena, Jena, Germany
Uwe Leder, MD
- Clinic of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital of Jena, Jena, Germany

Received 22 April 2008 published online 16 July 2009.

Abstract

Introduction

The purpose of our study was to prove the existence of the U wave using magnetocardiograms (MCGs).

Methods

The 31-channel MCGs of 25 healthy volunteers were recorded. The onset of the U wave was defined by newly developed spatial correlation analysis; and the end, by different approaches.

Results

A U wave could be proved in all volunteers. In 10 volunteers (heart rate, 57 ± 19 beats/min) in whom the U wave was found to be separated from the following P wave, the U wave's end could be determined as a threshold value (U wave duration, 310 ± 24 milliseconds). In 15 volunteers (heart rate, 70 ± 38 beats/min), the end of the U waves was concealed by a continuous transition of the U waves into the following P waves.