Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 18, 2026

In Vivo Surface Electrocardiography for Adult Zebrafish
Published on: August 1, 2019
Short-term repeatability of electrocardiographic spatial T-wave axis and QT interval
Georgeta D Vaidean1, Emily B Schroeder, Eric A Whitsel
1Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina schools of Public Health and Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA. vaidean@email.unc.edu
Abstract:
Although ventricular repolarization abnormalities reflect arrhythmic susceptibility, few reliable tools exist to identify their presence. We investigated the repeatability of the spatial T-wave axis and QT interval from standard 12-lead electrocardiograms in 63 asymptomatic volunteers. Certified technicians used a standardized protocol to digitally record 2 electrocardiograms per participant at each of 2 visits separated by 1 to 2 weeks. Absolute paired differences within and between visits were 0.19 degrees and 0.90 degrees for the T-wave axis and 1.08 and 1.55 milliseconds for the QT interval, respectively. The intraclass correlation coefficients for the T-wave axis and QT interval were 0.87 and 0.86, respectively. The impact of repeated measurements on the precision of the QT-interval measurements was evaluated for a hypothetical clinical trial aimed at detecting a drug-induced QT prolongation. We conclude that the spatial T-wave axis is as repeatable a measure of ventricular repolarization as the QT interval.
Related Concept Videos
Electrocardiogram
Three major waveforms are present in a typical ECG recording: the P wave, the QRS complex, and the T...
Electrocardiogram Fundamentals
An electrocardiogram (ECG) is a diagnostic tool for identifying cardiac conditions such as arrhythmias, conduction abnormalities, and myocardial ischemia.
Definition
An electrocardiogram (ECG) visualizes the heart's electrical activity by tracing the electrical movement associated with each heartbeat on a graph or monitor. As the heart beats, an electrical wave passes through it, correlating with the cardiac cycle events.
Parts of an ECG
An ECG utilizes electrodes on the skin to...
ECG Interpretation of Rhythms
Components of the Electrocardiogram
The primary components of a normal ECG waveform in Normal sinus rhythm(NSR) include the P wave, PR interval, QRS complex, ST segment, T wave, and occasionally a U wave.
ECG waveforms are divided by vertical and horizontal lines at standard intervals.
The horizontal axis measures time and rate, and the vertical axis measures amplitude or voltage. When...
Correlation between ECG and Cardiac Cycle
A cardiac action potential originates in the SA node and spreads throughout the atria and the AV node in approximately 0.03 seconds. This results in the P wave in an ECG and triggers atrial contraction. The action potential is then briefly slowed at the AV node, allowing the atria to contract and fill the ventricles with blood before...
Cardiac Action Potential
The cardiac action potential process involves a series of phases characterized by the movement of ions across the cardiac cell membranes, leading to the depolarization and repolarization of the cardiac myocytes.
Ionic Basis of Cardiac Action Potentials
Dysrhythmias III: Characteristics of Dysrhythmias

