Clin Res Cardiol (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00392-023-02180-w

Magnetoionography: A novel diagnostic approach in heart failure

D.-P. Dischl1, N. Wessel2, A. Gapelyuk2, M. Reinthaler1, J.-W. Park1

1Klinik für Kardiologie, Angiologie und Intensivmedizin, Deutsches Herzzentrum der Charité, Berlin; 2Kardiovaskuläre Physik, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin;

BACKGROUND: Heart failure (HF) is a complex clinical syndrome in which structural and functional myocardial abnormalities result in signs of hypoperfusion and systemic congestion. More than 80% of deaths in HF patients are caused by either sudden cardiac death or pump failure. Individual risk stratification of heart failure patients still represents a clinical challenge. Magnetocardiography (MCG) is a noninvasive, radiation-free diagnostic tool for measuring the magnetic fields generated by the electrical activity in the heart. Magnetoionography (MIG) is a novel technique that relates to the detection and characterization of individual ionic currents in-vivo on a cellular level based on magnetocardiographical recordings (SQUID sensor technology). METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the measurements of 29 HF patients as well as of 32 control subjects magnetocardiographically and magneto­ionographically. RESULTS: During the follow up 3 HF patients died. Out of all magnetocardiographical and magnetoionographical parameters we tested in this study three parameters revealed as outstanding in discriminating HF from controls: Diplolarity index between Tbegin and Tend, QTc prolongation as well as the quotient of monopolarity and dipolarity index between Tbegin and Tend. A combination of up to three MCG and MIG parameters lead to an overall discrimination rate of 82 % (sensitivity: 85.7 %, specificity: 78.8 %). CONCLUSION: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first data linking magnetocardiographical and magnetoionographical parameters and subsequent significant fatal events in HF patients, suggesting an energetic and functional component to clinical life-threatening ventricular arrhythmogenesis. Even early abnormalities of specific ionic currents seem to indicate a failing myocardium. Our approach is to established a new diagnostic method for cardiac risk assessment and individualized treatment.

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