Computational modeling of electromechanical propagation in the helical ventricular anatomy of the heart

Abstract

The classical interpretation of myocardial activation assumes that the myocardium is homogeneous and that the electrical propagation is radial. However, anatomical studies have described a layered anatomical structure resulting from a continuous anatomical helical disposition of the myocardial fibers. To further investigate the sequence of electromechanical propagation based on the helical architecture of the heart, a simplified computational model was designed. This model was then used to test four activation patterns, which were generated by propagating the action potential along the myocardial band from different activation sites.