Department of Biomedical Engineering and Computational Science BECS

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Cardiac studies

The Cardiac research group does basic research on the field of cardiac electromagnetism and develops diagnostic tools based on measuring the electric potential (electrocardiography, ECG) or magnetic field (magnetocardiography, MCG) produced by the heart. The research is done in close collaboration with medical researchers in Helsinki University Central hospital.

The group has expertise especially on electromagnetic mapping studies. The MCG mappings are carried out with 99-channel device in the BioMag laboratory and the 123-channel ECG mappings with 2 devices in the Helsinki University Central Hospital. In addition, the group has developed analysis methods for long-term ECG measurements and for conventional 12-lead ECG measurements. The methods are implemented into a set of computer programs running in MS Windows and HP UNIX environments.


At the moment group is doing research on following topics


Detection, localization and quantification of both acute myocardial ischemia and old myocardial infarctions

  • Data: 12-lead ECG, MCG mappings, ECG mappings, MRI, Echo, Â…
  • Methods: Signal processing of signal averaged ECG, beat-to-beat analysis, inverse modelling


Risk evaluation for ventricular arrhythmias

  • Data: 12-lead ECG, MCG mappings, ECG mappings, long-term ECG recordings
  • Methods: Signal processing of signal averaged ECG, beat-to-beat analysis


Atrial arrhythmias

  • Data: MCG mappings, ECG mappings, long term ECG recordings
  • Methods: Signal processing of signal averaged ECG, beat-to-beat analysis, inverse modelling


Identification of the patients suffering form left ventricular hypertrophy

  • 12-lead ECG, ECG mappings
  • Methods: Signal processing of signal averaged ECG, beat-to-beat analysis, inverse modelling


Long and short QT syndrome

  • Data: ECG mappings, long-term ECG recordings
  • Methods: Signal processing of signal averaged ECG, beat-to-beat analysis, inverse modelling


Heart model


Heart monitor suitable for home use


Boundary element modelling of the cardiac electromagnetic field

  • Dipole modeling, epicardial potential modelling, current density estimation
  • Focus: spatial characterization of the ECG


Group members


Heikki Väänänen: signal analysis and processing, general issues
Mats Lindholm: measurement systems
Matti Stenroos: modelling, visualization
Ville Mäntynen
Teijo Konttila
Juhani Dabek