On the relevant model for the human electrocardiogram: The so called “Imaginary cardiac vector hypothesis” — Fact or illusion?

Abstract

This paper evaluates the plausibility of the recently proposed “Imaginary cardiac vector” hypothesis, viz. that the cardiac vector is an imaginary scalar quantity, and thus not a true vector. The arguments presented in favour of this “Imaginary cardiac vector” hypothesis, do not in fact contradict vector theory, and are thus not crucial arguments. The actual values obtained by Einthoven, are examined vectorially, in order to demonstrate that his original analysis was fundamentally vectorial. Theoretical limitations imposed by the simplistic use of the equivalent dipole concept, are discussed.