[Catheter ablation of persistent atrial fibrillation : Possibilities of dipole density mapping]

Voltage-based methods currently form the diagnostic and therapeutic basis of clinical cardiac electrophysiology. These include both noncontact-based approaches (e.g., body surface electrocardiogram) and established, contact-based 3D mapping systems. At the physiological level, voltage is the measure of an electric field that includes both the local and the sum of the surrounding activation sources. As a result, details of complex rhythm patterns like those observed in atrial fibrillation may be obscured. Dipole density mapping represents an alternative approach to detect and visualize the electrical activity of the heart. It records the local activity on the inner surface of a chamber with high spatial and temporal resolution without requiring contact. This could help to further improve our understanding of the mechanisms and therapeutic possibilities. Herein, we review current knowledge of this procedure, potential uses, and clinical experience to date.