Accuracy of localization of acute myocardial infarctionby 12 lead electrocardiography

Tsunehiro Yasuda, Lair G.T. Ribeiro, B. Leonard Holman, Joseph S. Alpert, Peter R. Maroko

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

Until recently, ECG accuracy in localizing acute myocardial infarction (AMI) could be assessed only be comparing the ECGs with autopsy findings. This approach, however, preselected patients, including only those who died. It is possible that this postmortem group of patients would be different from the whole population of patients with AMI. Myocardial imaging with 99mTc-pyrophosphate offers the advantage of directly localizing the region of injured myocardium in the acute phase of AMI. In 34 patients with confirmed AMI and focal uptake of 99mTc-pyrophosphate, serial ECGs were obtained and interpreted by two independent observers. The sensitivity and specificity of serial ECGs in determining the location of AMI in the five left ventricular (LV) wall segments were determined: (1) in the anterior wall sensitivity was 86.7% and specificity was 89.5%; (2) in the lateral wall sensitivity was 73.7% and specificity was 80.0%; (3) in the high lateral wall sensitivity was 80.0% and specificity was 87.5%; (4) in the inferior wall sensitivity was 87.5% and specificity was 100%; (5) in the "true" posterior wall sensitivity was 83.3% and specificity was 86.4%. Overall, in the 170 LV wall segments (five per patient) examined, scans localized with a sensitivity of 81.9% and a specificity of 88.8%. After four patients with LBBB were excluded, sensitivity increased to 87.1%. Overall, localization of AMI by serial ECG was accurate in 85.9% of the 34 patients included in the study.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)181-188
Number of pages8
JournalJournal of Electrocardiology
Volume15
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - 1982
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine

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