Abstract
Body surface maps during one cycle of atrial flutter were recorded in 2 cases. The sequences of movements of the maximum and the minimum were compared to those of the sinus P waves. The maps of normal sinus P waves usually show that a maximum first appears at the anterior chest near the sternum and moves to the left side of the thorax in the later half of the P wave. The maps of atrial flutter in Case 1 showed that a maximum first appeared on the upper right back and then moved to the right side of the anterior chest. The maps of Case 2 showed that a maximum first appeared on the upper right back and then moved down the right side of the posterior thorax. There were no movements of the maxima in either case from the right side of the chest to the left as seen in the sinus P waves.
