Patent ID: 8233971

Claim:
A diagnostic ECG system which identifies a culprit coronary artery associated with an acute myocardial infarction comprising: a set of electrodes adapted for acquisition of electrical activity of the heart from different vantage points in relation to the heart; an ECG acquisition module coupled to the electrodes which acts to produce enhanced electrode signals; an ECG processor responsive to the electrode signals which acts to combine electrode signals for the production of a plurality of lead traces measuring electrical activity of the heart from different vantage points, wherein the ECG processor detects ST elevation in lead traces and identifies ST elevation patterns indicative of the obstruction of a coronary artery or branch, wherein the ECG processor is responsive to the electrode signals for the production of signals for an inferior lead group including one or more of leads II, III, aVF, right chest leads including one or more of leads V 3 R-V 5 R, and lead aVR; wherein the ECG processor further identifies ST elevation in the inferior lead group and/or the right chest leads which may be accompanied by ST elevation in lead aVR as indicative of the obstruction of the right coronary artery (RCA); and an output device which identifies a culprit coronary artery or branch associated with an acute ischemic event, wherein the output device is responsive to the indication of the obstruction of the right coronary artery to identify the RCA as a culprit coronary artery.