Three dimensional excitation sequence during Torsade de Points in the cardiac computer model with M cells

This study is a three-dimensional (3-D) simulation aimed at verification about the M cell function during Torsade de Pointes (TdP). The entire process of TdP initiation, propagation and termination were successfully reproduced and the M cell function was examined. The heart model used in this simulation was previously described in detail (D. Wei et al., IEEE, vol. 42, p. 343-57, 1995). The model consists of approximately 50,000 functional cubic units with spatial resolution of 1.5 mm in dameter. Findings in the authors´ study agree to those of C. Antzelevitch et al. (1996). By setting M cells in the heart model, the authors´ study successfully simulated the TdP process and suggests that the reentry around M cells might be a possible mechanism in the formation of TdP