Would different routine precordial electrode positions be more useful? Answer: not likely.

There are reasons to wonder if the current precordial electrode positions are the best ones to study the electrical forces of the heart. Theoretically, more horizontal electrode positions and several superior and inferior electrode positions that are perpendicular to the horizontally placed electrode positions should make a superior lead system. A study was designed to determine if that was true. The result of the study indicated that such a system did not solve all of the problems that were posed by the current system. Although the new system was easier to use, the findings did not justify a change from the presently used system of precordial electrode placement.