Magnetocardiographic Mapping: An unique method to combine non-invasive localization of arrhythmogenic substrate and non-fluoroscopic imaging of intracardiac catheters

During the last ten years an increasing number of laboratories has reported data validating the use of magnetocardiography as an effective method for preoperative localization of arrhythmogenic substrates and for planning the best catheter ablation approach for different arrhythmias. In this paper the accuracy of magnetocardiography to localize arrhythmogenic substrates has been reviewed on the basis of available data from literature, concerning the clinical use in patients with the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome and with ventricular arrhythmias. Furthermore, the localization of amagnetic catheters as independent calibration method is described in order to assess the state-of-art of this technology, and its possible use for non-fluoroscopic navigation of catheters for electrophysiology and ablation. Finally some suggestions for industrial development of more compact, medically-oriented MCG equipment at reasonable cost are given.