Feasibility of a semi-automated method for cardiac conduction velocity analysis of high-resolution activation maps

Myocardial conduction velocity is important for the genesis of arrhythmias. In the normal heart, conduction is primarily dependent on fiber direction (anisotropy) and may be discontinuous at sites with tissue heterogeneities (trabeculated or fibrotic tissue). We present a semi-automated method for the accurate measurement of conduction velocity based on high-resolution activation mapping following central stimulation. The method was applied to activation maps created from myocardium from man, sheep and mouse with anisotropic and discontinuous conduction. Advantages of the presented method over existing methods are discussed.