Mount Sinai Heart's Electrocardiography and Electrophysiology Laboratory uses state-of-the art tools to diagnose arrhythmias. Our nurse specialists and technicians perform around-the-clock monitoring, imaging, and heart-function studies.

"Mount Sinai has all the resources that I could possibly want to help diagnose my patients," says Nicholas Skipitaris, MD, Senior Faculty of Cardiology. "We have cutting-edge diagnostic technology and accomplished physicians who interpret the results."

Electrocardiography and Monitoring

Physicians usually administer an electrocardiogram (ECG) to measure the electrical activity of the heart. This technology creates a graphic representation of the heart’s electrical activity. Some patients benefit from more prolonged monitoring to catch infrequent arrhythmias.

Mount Sinai Heart physicians have pioneered advances in arrhythmia diagnosis. J. Anthony Gomes, MD, Director of Consultative Services and Professor of Cardiology, developed a technology called signal-averaged electrocardiogram. This method analyzes the electrical details of hundreds of heartbeats. Taken together, the details can identify even small irregularities.

"Mount Sinai has been at the forefront of arrhythmia research for decades," says Davendra Mehta MD, PhD, Professor of Cardiology. "We have an excellent team of very senior doctors who offer every available investigative and therapeutic technology."

Diagnostic Electrophysiology

Doctors use this minimally invasive technology to pinpoint the area of tissue causing an arrhythmia. The physician sends and receives signals to the heart to create a map of the damage by threading a flexible tube attached to a monitoring electrode through a blood vessel in the groin or neck and into the heart.

Other Diagnostic Tests

Other diagnostic tests include:

• Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging to image the heart
• Positron emission tomography to measure heart cell activity
• Cardiac catheterization and angiography to measure coronary artery health
• Tilt-table testing to determine whether fainting spells are related to arrhythmia
• Echocardiograms to image the heart and blood flow
• Blood tests to measure chemical and hormone levels