Using the surface electrocardiogram to localize the origin of idiopathic ventricular tachycardia.

The surface electrocardiogram (ECG) is a useful tool to help identify the sites of origin of ventricular tachycardia (VT). Despite such limitations as chest wall deformity and metabolic and drug effects, the analysis of the QRS morphologic patterns and vectors can discern the site of activation of myocardium. There have been described numerous reports about ECG features of idiopathic left- and right-ventricular VT. In this review, we summarized typical ECG characteristics according to the VT sites of origin based on previous reports, with anatomical considerations of the left and right ventricles, including the outflow tracts and epicardium. ©2012, The Authors. Journal compilation ©2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.