San Diego Doctor Invents New System For Diagnosing Heart Conditions

A UC San Diego doctor has created a new way for physiologists to identify the source of irregular heartbeats. According to KGTV, Dr. David Krummen created vMap, a computer program that takes EKG data and uses it to make a 3D model of the heart and highlights the problem areas associated with arrhythmia.

"We can tell you within about a centimeter where that arrhythmia is coming from," he says. Dr. Krummen and his team created the computer program, which can pinpoint the source of the problem. The entire process takes about 5 minutes and can be done in any medical setting with an EKG machine.

"Right now, the ways that we map (arrhythmia) are a little bit burdensome and invasive and not very effective," Dr. Krummen said.

Usually, doctors look for the location of an irregular heartbeat through two methods. The first is running an internal catheter to the heart and manually searching specific areas. The second is having patients wear a large electrode vest while getting a CAT-Scan.

According to Dr. Krummen, both of those traditional methods are expensive, time-consuming, and risky. The vMap is faster, easier, less invasive, and safer. In April, Dr. Krummen will present vMap at the annual Heart Rhythm Society Conference.