Treadmill exercise test using body surface mapping. A quantitative diagnostic method for coronary artery disease.

In order to evaluate coronary artery disease quantitatively we recorded body surface maps before and after treadmill exercise in 27 patients suspected of having coronary artery disease. Electrocardiograms were recorded from 87 points on the anterior and posterior chest wall. The pre-exercise ST level was subtracted from post-exercise ST level at each lead point and an ST difference MAP was constructed. The ST level at 60 msec from J point was used for the construction of the ST difference MAP. By means of ST difference MAP, the area with ST changes which was induced by treadmill exercise could be evaluated. the size of the ST-depression area in the ST difference MAP was considered to be proportional to the severity of the coronary artery disease and the ST-elevation area was closely correlated to the motion abnormality of the corresponding left ventricular wall. Treadmill exercise test using body surface mapping has provided a measure of quantitative diagnosis of coronary artery disease especially in symptomatic patients.