A model study of the effect of non-transmural necroses on epicardial potential distributions

In this study, the effect of localized nontransmural necroses on epicardial potential distributions (EPDs) has been investigated by means of a computer model of the human ventricular myocardium. The model features an anatomically accurate geometry, an intramural rotating anisotropy, and a physiologically accurate computational implementation of propagated excitation. The authors´ findings agreed with those of experimental studies in a complete transient loss of one of the positive areas when the necrosis was located subepicardially, and in a transient gap in the expanding positive areas when the necrosis was located intramurally and subendocardially. This study represents the first step in simulating the effects of electrophysiological precursors to ventricular tachyarrhythmias on EPDs.