On Recording the Unipolar ECG Limb Leads via the Wilson's vs the Goldberger's Terminals: aVR, aVL, and aVF Revisited
The augmented unipolar limb leads aVR, aVL, and aVF, introduced by Goldberger in 1942, are an integral part of the 12-lead ECG.1,2 Leads I, II, and III have 2 dedicated electrodes, but the other 9 leads have a single dedicated electrode, and another one constructed from the averaged inputs of multi...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2008-11-01
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| Series: | Indian Pacing and Electrophysiology Journal |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.ipej.org/0804/madias4.htm |
| _version_ | 1818520520985935872 |
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| author | John E. Madias |
| author_facet | John E. Madias |
| author_sort | John E. Madias |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The augmented unipolar limb leads aVR, aVL, and aVF, introduced by Goldberger in 1942, are an integral part of the 12-lead ECG.1,2 Leads I, II, and III have 2 dedicated electrodes, but the other 9 leads have a single dedicated electrode, and another one constructed from the averaged inputs of multiple electrodes. This Viewpoint discusses whether an indifferent pole for the recording of unipolar limb leads is best provided by the Wilson's central terminal (WCT), or by inputs from 2 limb electrodes (Goldberger's central terminal) (GCT), as done currently, and whether the latter have any advantages over the former. The term "unipolar", popularized by Wilson, is a misnomer, since no leads can be truly "unipolar", all requiring positive and negative poles. Thus the term unipolar is used herein in the quasi-unipolar sense, as when first introduced by Wilson and Goldberger, who also realized that such leads were not truly unipolar. The popularity of the unipolar leads reflected the quest of recording the ECG from various vantage points of the body, considering the limitations of the 3 bipolar leads, introduced by Einthoven,3 which register the difference of 2 ECG curves recorded at the 2 poles of these leads, and no variation in potential at each of these poles.4 In contrast the unipolar leads were thought to register such variation of absolute potential, something not really true. Initially the WCT was used to record the unipolar limb leads,5 but the amplitude was low, and the inscribed ECGs, then, and for many decades later,6 were thick-lined (≥2 mm) (Figure 1). |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T01:38:37Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-41c4588fd89547fcb247deaca52a25a8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0972-6292 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T01:38:37Z |
| publishDate | 2008-11-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Indian Pacing and Electrophysiology Journal |
| spelling | doaj.art-41c4588fd89547fcb247deaca52a25a82022-12-22T01:25:07ZengElsevierIndian Pacing and Electrophysiology Journal0972-62922008-11-0184292297On Recording the Unipolar ECG Limb Leads via the Wilson's vs the Goldberger's Terminals: aVR, aVL, and aVF RevisitedJohn E. MadiasThe augmented unipolar limb leads aVR, aVL, and aVF, introduced by Goldberger in 1942, are an integral part of the 12-lead ECG.1,2 Leads I, II, and III have 2 dedicated electrodes, but the other 9 leads have a single dedicated electrode, and another one constructed from the averaged inputs of multiple electrodes. This Viewpoint discusses whether an indifferent pole for the recording of unipolar limb leads is best provided by the Wilson's central terminal (WCT), or by inputs from 2 limb electrodes (Goldberger's central terminal) (GCT), as done currently, and whether the latter have any advantages over the former. The term "unipolar", popularized by Wilson, is a misnomer, since no leads can be truly "unipolar", all requiring positive and negative poles. Thus the term unipolar is used herein in the quasi-unipolar sense, as when first introduced by Wilson and Goldberger, who also realized that such leads were not truly unipolar. The popularity of the unipolar leads reflected the quest of recording the ECG from various vantage points of the body, considering the limitations of the 3 bipolar leads, introduced by Einthoven,3 which register the difference of 2 ECG curves recorded at the 2 poles of these leads, and no variation in potential at each of these poles.4 In contrast the unipolar leads were thought to register such variation of absolute potential, something not really true. Initially the WCT was used to record the unipolar limb leads,5 but the amplitude was low, and the inscribed ECGs, then, and for many decades later,6 were thick-lined (≥2 mm) (Figure 1).http://www.ipej.org/0804/madias4.htmaugmented unipolar limb leadsWilson's central terminalGoldberger's central terminal |
| spellingShingle | John E. Madias On Recording the Unipolar ECG Limb Leads via the Wilson's vs the Goldberger's Terminals: aVR, aVL, and aVF Revisited Indian Pacing and Electrophysiology Journal augmented unipolar limb leads Wilson's central terminal Goldberger's central terminal |
| title | On Recording the Unipolar ECG Limb Leads via the Wilson's vs the Goldberger's Terminals: aVR, aVL, and aVF Revisited |
| title_full | On Recording the Unipolar ECG Limb Leads via the Wilson's vs the Goldberger's Terminals: aVR, aVL, and aVF Revisited |
| title_fullStr | On Recording the Unipolar ECG Limb Leads via the Wilson's vs the Goldberger's Terminals: aVR, aVL, and aVF Revisited |
| title_full_unstemmed | On Recording the Unipolar ECG Limb Leads via the Wilson's vs the Goldberger's Terminals: aVR, aVL, and aVF Revisited |
| title_short | On Recording the Unipolar ECG Limb Leads via the Wilson's vs the Goldberger's Terminals: aVR, aVL, and aVF Revisited |
| title_sort | on recording the unipolar ecg limb leads via the wilson s vs the goldberger s terminals avr avl and avf revisited |
| topic | augmented unipolar limb leads Wilson's central terminal Goldberger's central terminal |
| url | http://www.ipej.org/0804/madias4.htm |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT johnemadias onrecordingtheunipolarecglimbleadsviathewilsonsvsthegoldbergersterminalsavravlandavfrevisited |