Fractal Dimension of Atrial and Ventricular Fibrillation: A Potential Determinant for the Persistence and Termination of Cardiac Turbulence

The factors governing atrial fibrillation (AF) and ventricular fibrillation (VF) termination are poorly understood. In other spatiotemporally turbulent systems, a key determinant of termination is low fractal dimension, D (the ratio of system size (L) to correlation length (ξ)). This has never been evaluated in the heart. This study hypothesised that episodes of spontaneously terminating and less persistent fibrillation should possess lower D.