Biophysical Journal 7: 463-491 (1967)
© 1967 the Biophysical Society

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The Application of Electromagnetic Theory to Electrocardiology

II. Numerical Solution of the Integral Equations

ABSTRACT

In an earlier paper exact integral equations were derived for the surface potentials resulting from sources within an irregularly shaped inhomogeneous body. These exact equations cannot usually be solved. In this paper a discrete analogue is constructed which is not straightforward to solve, but which can be treated by careful mathematical methods. In particular a deflation procedure greatly facilitates the iterative solution of the problem and overcomes the divergence encountered by other authors. Numerical solutions obtained for simple geometries are compared to the exact analytic solutions available in such cases. The necessary convergence of the solutions of the discrete analog towards the solution of the continuous problem is shown to occur only if the coefficients of the discrete analogue are carefully evaluated. Calculations are then presented for realistic thoracic geometries, typical results being presented as surface potential maps. Finally the important effect of the internal regional inhomogeneities, particularly a realistic cardiac blood mass, is demonstrated by obtaining vector loops with and without these effects.