A generalized matrix eigensystem approach to the inverse problem of electrocardiography

The authors present a new approach to the ill-conditioned inverse problem of electrocardiography which employs finite element techniques to generate a truncated eigenvector expansion which stabilizes the inversion. The body surface potentials are expanded in terms of the eigenvectors, and a least squares fit to the measured body surface potentials is used to determine the coefficients of the expansion. This expansion is then used directly to determine the potentials on the surface of the heart.<>