A technique for the determination of left ventricular mass by signal-averaged electrocardiography

Signal-averaged electrocardiography (SAECG) as a diagnostic tool is discussed. It is an accurate, noninvasive, and relatively inexpensive test that can identify patients who are at risk for ventricular arrhythmias. Commercially available machines are dedicated to data acquisition and signal manipulation necessary to detect the presence of low-amplitude, high-frequency electrical energy occurring at the end of the QRS complex, termed late potentials. Inherently, however, the SAECG provides a measure of the electrical strength of the myocardium. Different analysis techniques are explored to determine whether a commercially available machine could produce meaningful estimates of left ventricular mass