A coupled cubic hermite finite element/boundary element procedure for electrocardiographic problems

摘要

The problem considered is that of trying to determine the potential distribution inside a human torso as a result of the heart's electrical activity. We describe here a high order (cubic Hermite) coupled finite element/boundary element procedure for solving such electrocardiographic potential problems inside an anatomically accurate human torso. Details of the cubic Hermite boundary element procedure and its coupling to the finite element method are described. We then present two and three dimensional test results showing the success, efficiency and accuracy of this high order coupled technique. Some initial results on an anatomically accurate torso are also given.