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A Novel Approach to Propagation Pattern Analysis in Intracardiac Atrial Fibrillation Signals

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Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate propagation patterns in intracardiac signals recorded during atrial fibrillation (AF) using an approach based on partial directed coherence (PDC), which evaluates directional coupling between multiple signals in the frequency domain. The PDC is evaluated at the dominant frequency of AF signals and tested for significance using a surrogate data procedure specifically designed to assess causality. For significantly coupled sites, the approach allows also to estimate the delay in propagation. The methods potential is illustrated with two simulation scenarios based on a detailed ionic model of the human atrial myocyte as well as with real data recordings, selected to present typical propagation mechanisms and recording situations in atrial tachyarrhythmias. In both simulation scenarios the significant PDCs correctly reflect the direction of coupling and thus the propagation between all recording sites. In the real data recordings, clear propagation patterns are identified which agree with previous clinical observations. Thus, the results illustrate the ability of the novel approach to identify propagation patterns from intracardiac signals during AF, which can provide important information about the underlying AF mechanisms, potentially improving the planning and outcome of arrhythmia ablation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Electrical and Information Technology, and Center for Integrative Electrocardiology (CIEL), Lund University, Box 118, 221 00, Lund, Sweden

    Ulrike Richter, Martin Stridh & Leif Sörnmo

  2. Department of Physics and BioTech, University of Trento, Trento, Italy

    Luca Faes, Alessandro Cristoforetti, Michela Masè & Flavia Ravelli

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  1. Ulrike Richter
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  2. Luca Faes
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Correspondence to Ulrike Richter.

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Associate Editor Nathalie Virag oversaw the review of this article.

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Richter, U., Faes, L., Cristoforetti, A. et al. A Novel Approach to Propagation Pattern Analysis in Intracardiac Atrial Fibrillation Signals. Ann Biomed Eng 39, 310–323 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10439-010-0146-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10439-010-0146-8

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