UNEXCITED CORE OF SPIRAL WAVE REENTRY HAS ASMALL BUT OBVIOUSLY DEPOLARIZED POTENTIAL -STUDY BY OPTICAL MAPPING AND COMPUTER GRAPHICS-

摘要

Purpose To investigate transmembrane potential (Vm) of an unexcited "core" lying in the center of spiral wave (SW) reentry. Methods Langendorff-perfused rabbit ventricles were stained with voltage-sensitive dye (di-4-ANNEPS). Movies of the left ventricular epicardium were obtained using a digital video camera, and five stable SWs were analyzed using computer graphics. Results We processed the raw data (Fig.l) to visualize the SW behavior (Fig.2), and the spatial distribution of the Vm amplitude (Fig.3). Around the core, the Vm amplitude decreased regionally (Fig.3, rather black than its surrounding region). Cutoff amplitude to erase only a small noise lying out of the heart area did not erase the core (Fig.3). This meant that the Vm amplitude of the core was larger than the noise levels. Conclusions The spiral core has a small but obviously depolarized Vm.