title: The value of magnetocardiography in the course of coronary intervention.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The noninvasive detection of restenosis after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) remains a clinical challenge. Previous studies have shown that magnetocardiograms reveal obvious changes in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and normal electrocardiogram (ECG) at rest.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The present study aimed to evaluate the potential of magnetocardiography (MCG) for the detection of electrophysiological changes in the course of successful PCI.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twelve-lead ECG and unshielded four-channel MCG (SQUID AG, Essen, Germany) were registered at nine prethoracic sites in 50 patients with CAD (62 +/- 10 years; EF = 76 +/- 11%; registration: before, 24 hours, and 1 month (n = 25) after PCI) and 57 normals (51 +/- 9 years). Current density vector (CDV) maps were reconstructed within the ST-T interval and classified from category 0 (normal) to category 4 (grossly abnormal). In both groups and at all registration times, the percentage of each category of maps was calculated and compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most CDV maps of normals were classified as category 0, 1, or 2 compared to CAD patients before PCI with most maps of category 3 and 4 (P < 0.0005). Twenty-four hours after PCI, more maps were classified as category 2 (P < 0.05) and less as category 4 (P < 0.005). One month after PCI the MCG results further improved: more maps were classified as category 1 (P < 0.05) and 2 (P < 0.005) and less maps as category 4 (P < 0.0001). The ECG remained unchanged in the course of PCI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Unshielded four-channel MCG reveals obvious changes in the course of successful PCI on the basis of CDV map reconstruction during repolarization. The method seems to be suitable for the follow-up of patients after PCI.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Philippusstift, Essen, Germany. b.hailer@philippusstift.de
authors.forename: Birgit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hailer
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Van Leeuwen
authors.forename: Illja
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Chaikovsky
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Auth-Eisernitz
authors.forename: Harald
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schäfer
authors.forename: Dietrich
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Grönemeyer
mesh_terms: D000787:Angina Pectoris / Q000628:therapy*; D000789:Angina, Unstable / Q000628:therapy; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary; D023921:Coronary Stenosis / Q000628:therapy*; D055590:Electromagnetic Phenomena; D022062:Electrophysiologic Techniques, Cardiac; D006334:Heart Function Tests; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged