The Clinical Efficacy of Novel Vectorcardiographic Descriptors of Ventricular Electrical Activation Digitally Converted from Standard 12-Lead Electrocardiogram

Abstract

Electrocardiogram (ECG) is one of the most basic examinations in the clinical medicine. Although frequently used, the interpretation of a standard 12-lead ECG is sometimes difficult for not only beginners but also clinical cardiologists. Vectorcardiogram (VCG) had been frequently used for describing three-dimensional movement of cardiac electrical activity before 1990s, which was thereafter rarely used in the clinical settings due to its complexity and time-consuming nature. However, VCG still has many features including: (1) easy for spatial understanding, (2) chronologically normalized, and (3) easy for quantitative analysis. For several years, we have collaborated with Fukuda Denshi Co., Ltd. and have established the novel vectorcardiographic descriptor of ventricular electrical activation, which digitally converts standard 12-lead ECG waveforms into “synthesized” VCG QRS-loop drawing. This novel vectorcardiographic descriptor can help us to understand the abnormality of QRS complex such as bundle branch blocks, ventricular hypertrophies, and myocardial injury: adding this synthesized VCG report to conventional 12-lead ECG report, healthcare providers and students are able to diagnose abnormality of QRS complex in ECG more effectively and accurately. Now this system can be optionally installed into the conventional ECG system (Fukuda Denshi Co., Ltd., Japan). This descriptor has great potential to clinical efficacy as well as medical education, and can make us revisit the VCG.