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Updated: Aug 21, 2026

High-Resolution Endocardial and Epicardial Optical Mapping in a Sheep Model of Stretch-Induced Atrial Fibrillation
Published on: July 29, 2011
Surface ECG vector characteristics of organized and disorganized atrial activity during atrial fibrillation
Jason Ng1, Alan V Sahakian, Westby G Fisher
1Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.
Background:
The aim of this study was to examine atrial organization from vectorcardiograms (VCGs) derived from the surface ECG of atrial fibrillatory waves.
Methods:
We retrieved ECGs recorded during ventricular asystole from 22 patients with AF undergoing ablation of the AV junction. The synthesized VCG of each f-wave cycle of each ECG and its plane of best fit, described by azimuth and elevation angles relative to the frontal plane, were computed.
Results:
Fifteen of the 22 ECGs had at least 30% of the planes in a single 30-degree region of azimuth angles. Of these 15, 12 had the greatest percentage of planes with azimuth angles within 30 degrees of the sagittal plane; two were near the frontal plane; and one near the right anterior oblique plane.
Conclusions:
Varying degrees of organization were observed from VCGs of fibrillatory waves with the more organized examples having planes predominately near the sagittal plane.
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