Body surface maps in 2 cases of atrial flutter

Area of Science:

• Electrophysiology
• Cardiac Mapping

Background:

• Understanding atrial flutter's electrical propagation is crucial for diagnosis and treatment.
• Normal sinus rhythm P waves exhibit characteristic body surface potential map (BSPM) sequences.

Observation:

• Body surface maps were recorded during one cycle of atrial flutter in two patients.
• The spatiotemporal sequences of potential maxima and minima were analyzed and compared to sinus P waves.

Findings:

• Atrial flutter BSPMs showed maxima originating on the upper right back, moving anteriorly on the right side.
• Unlike sinus P waves, atrial flutter maps lacked the typical leftward movement of maxima across the thorax.

Implications:

• These findings highlight unique electrical activation pathways in atrial flutter.
• BSPM analysis may offer novel insights into differentiating arrhythmias based on electrical wavefronts.