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Techniques for noninvasive observation of heart states play an important part in experimental and therapeutic cardiology. The objective of this work is to describe a new method for intelligible pictorial representation of data acquired by an orthogonal electrocardiographic lead system and demonstration of possibilities of this method in estimating the results of longterm treatment for a cardiac disease. The method used, dipole electrocardiotopography (DECARTO), provides a set of maps (decartograms) that depict in an explicit form the instantaneous, as well as integral electrophysiological properties of the heart during the excitation cycle. The observed group of patients contained 10 females and 2 males with primary pulmonary hypertension. It was found that in all but one cases tested, the features of the maps strongly correlated with the results of the other diagnostical methods and clinical findings. The trends to improvement (6 cases), stabilization (4 cases), or deterioration (1 case) of the heart state were clearly indicated. In one case, however, the interpretation of the decartograms was ambiguous. The advantage of the DECARTO technique lays in clearness of data representation for visual analysis and facilitation of electrophysiological and anatomical interpretation of the data. (Fig. 6, Ref. 2)

VCG data (McFee--Parungao system) were obtained from 12 patients with primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH). During 2 years, VCG investigations were repeated from 2 to 5 times. Various VCG-parameters were analyzed. Space and horizontal QRS areas, projection of integra QRS vector to axis y and the sum of Rx and Sx were diagnostically most significant. Their values proved abnormal at the beginning of survey. In the course of observation, states of the right heart chambers together with VCG-parameter dynamics were investigated in every patient. States of the right cardiac chambers improved in 4 patients. In all of them the parameter turned to normal values. In two patients, during the monitoring time monotonous increase of parameters was observed, with the state of the right heart chambers declining. In 6 patients, state of right heart chambers appeared relatively stable. In these patients, values of all the parameters were either stable or insignificantly changeable around some mean values. Thus, the dynamics of VCG-parameters makes it possible to estimate adequately the states of the right cardiac chambers in PPH patients. (Tab. 1, Fig. 4, Ref. 4)