THE PRAeCORDIAL T DEFLECTION OF THE ELECTROCARDIOGRAM

Abstract

T in V1 to V4 may be inverted by prolonged cooling of the anterior chest wall (40 min.). The order in which this inversion takes place (beginning and recovering in the terminal portion of T) suggests that repolarization follows the same path as depolarization_from within out. Small superficial areas of muscle damage in the anterior wall produce effects comparable to the cooling procedure. An analysis was made to explain the T wave inversion in bundle branch block, ventricular hypertrophy, digitalis effect, in normal children and in the adult negro and Bantu.