Body Surface Potential Mapping: Contemporary Applications and Future Perspectives

Abstract

Body surface potential mapping (BSPM) is a noninvasive modality to assess cardiac bioelectric activity with a rich history of practical applications for both research and clinical investigation. BSPM provides comprehensive acquisition of bioelectric signals across the entire thorax, allowing for more complex and extensive analysis than the standard electrocardiogram (ECG). Despite its advantages, BSPM is not a common clinical tool. BSPM does, however, serve as a valuable research tool and as an input for other modes of analysis such as electrocardiographic imaging and, more recently, machine learning and artificial intelligence. In this report, we examine contemporary uses of BSPM, and provide an assessment of its future prospects in both clinical and research environments. We assess the state of the art of BSPM implementations and explore modern applications of advanced modeling and statistical analysis of BSPM data. We predict that BSPM will continue to be a valuable research tool, and will find clinical utility at the intersection of computational modeling approaches and artificial intelligence.

Unexpected Errors in the Electrocardiographic Forward Problem

“…[10] Statistics/Evaluation Metrics: We compared forward solutions from both the sock and the cage to the measured torso surface electrograms according to three metrics: root-mean-square error (RMSE), spatial correlation (SC), and temporal correlation (TC). [4,11] We evaluated these metrics separately for each heartbeat of each activation sequence and reported averages and ranges as box plots.…”

“…[1,2] The forward problem describes the relationship between the electrical activity of the heart and the resulting electrical potentials on the torso. [3,4] The forward problem is considered to be well solved as it is mathematically well posed and supported by numerical and computational techniques. [2] However, the residual errors seen in experimen-tal validation studies and occurring between the computed and measured torso signals are still problematic.…”

The Application of Computer Techniques to ECG Interpretation

“…This socalled inverse modelling is gaining importance and has led to clinically available devices for investigation of cardiac arrhythmias by localising the source of the abnormal rhythm. Bergquist et al [9] outline the leading edge methodology which they use to process body surface maps.…”

Mapeamento do Potencial da Superfície Corporal durante a Despolarização Ventricular em Atletas com Intervalo PQ Prolongado após Exercício

“…Body surface potential mapping (BSPM), based on synchronous registration of cardiac potentials from multiple leads on the torso surface, is a non-invasive modality to assess cardiac bioelectric activity and allows more complex and extensive analysis than the standard electrocardiographic techniques. 9 , 10 The information provided by BSPM includes the spatial, temporal, and amplitude components of the ECG signal and is used in both experimental and clinical settings for the detection and diagnosis of various pathological conditions. 11 - 13 Previously, BSPM was applied in order to investigate the ventricular electrical activation in patients with intraventricular conduction abnormalities.…”