Fiber Optic Sensor for Cardiac Magnetic Field

We will adapt a non-cryogenic magnetic field sensor previously developed for defense purposesand apply it to magnetocardiography (MCG), the measurement of magnetic fields induced by electricalcurrents in the heart. As a single non-invasive sensor, this unit would have similar applications to theelectrocardiograph. When these units are assembled into a spatial array, the magnetic field can bemeasured as a function of position, giving diagnostically useful information about the pathways ofcurrent flow in the heart. This could replace invasive measurements of heart currents using catheters.At present, much work is underway using cryogenic devices for MCG, but this sensor promises to bemore economical and easier to use in arrays.