Background: Cardiogoniometry (CGM) is a novel spatiotemporal electrocardiographic method utilizing computer-assisted three-dimensional data on cardiac potentials.
Objectives: This study compares the accuracy of CGM and electrocardiography (ECG) by detecting coronary artery disease (CAD) with reference to angiography as a well-known gold standard.
Patients and methods: A total of 390 patients undergoing coronary angiography with CAD were enrolled. CGM was performed a few hours prior to coronary angiography. A standard 12-lead ECG was recorded after the CGM. The CGM and ECG results were recorded and analyzed by an independent investigator blinded to all patient data and the results of the coronary angiography.
Results: The coronary angiography showed a normal coronary artery in 263 patients (67.4%). A median of CGM score was 1 (0-2), the minimum score was 0 and maximum score was 8. A total of 90 patients (31%) showed predefined ST-segment/T-wave changes in the resting 12-lead ECG. CGM yielded a sensitivity of 84% and specificity of 81% and the ECG yielded a sensitivity of 29% and specificity of 67% when compared with the coronary angiography.
Conclusions: CGM is a non-invasive technique recently developed for quantitative three-dimensional vectorial analysis of myocardial activity and detection of ischemia and infarction. This technique is clearly more sensitive and more specific than a standard resting 12-lead ECG.
Keywords: Coronary Angiography; Electrocardiography; Vectorcardiography.