Electrocardiographic imaging in the atria

Abstract

The inverse problem of electrocardiography or electrocardiographic imaging (ECGI) is a technique for reconstructing electrical information about cardiac surfaces from noninvasive or non-contact recordings. ECGI has been used to characterize atrial and ventricular arrhythmias. Although it is a technology with years of progress, its development to characterize atrial arrhythmias is challenging. Complications can arise when trying to describe the atrial mechanisms that lead to abnormal propagation patterns, premature or tachycardic beats, and reentrant arrhythmias. This review addresses the various ECGI methodologies, regularization methods, and post-processing techniques used in the atria, as well as the context in which they are used. The current advantages and limitations of ECGI in the fields of research and clinical diagnosis of atrial arrhythmias are outlined. In addition, areas where ECGI efforts should be concentrated to address the associated unsatisfied needs from the atrial perspective are discussed. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.].