Effects of scatter radiation on ICD and CRT function.

Background: Effects of direct radiation on implantable cardiac devices have been well studied. However, the effects of scatter radiation are not as clear. Recommendations on management of patients with implantable cardiac devices undergoing radiotherapy are based on limited studies mostly involving pacemakers.

High resolution magnetic images of planar wave fronts reveal bidomain properties of cardiac tissue.

We magnetically imaged the magnetic action field and optically imaged the transmembrane potentials generated by planar wavefronts on the surface of the left ventricular wall of Langendorff-perfused isolated rabbit hearts. The magnetic action field images were used to produce a time series of two-dimensional action current maps. Overlaying epifluorescent images allowed us to identify a net current along the wavefront and perpendicular to gradients in the transmembrane potential.