Can anyone explain heartbeat scan 'shapes' please?

[medianewbie]

My son just had a Cardiac MRI. Due to his Autism I sat next to the machine whilst it was done. On the machine was a screen which showed 3 different heartbeats. The 'middle' one seemed fairly normal shape throughout. The top & bottom ones were normal for 10 mins at a time, then would make very distinct 'castellated' shapes for a few minutes before returning to normal. I'm not asking for medical advice as we are seeing a Dr in a month or so when we get the results: meantime can anyone say why 3 different lines & why the shapes would be so changeable & different? (I've attached a very poorly drawn pic, as it's so hard to explain!)

This is the pic - as the top line dipped the bottom one raised in a mirror image. The middle one became more bumpy but still a fairly normal shape. As I say, we'll ask at appt so I'm not asking for 'advice' but meanwhile I am curious as to heartbeat shapes now!

I have something like this on mine. Apparently it's normal and just the way my heart works. I was worried and was told not everyone's heart works the same or, in the same place so everyone's will be different.

Thanks @coldinbuxton that was good news for you to know I bet x I might ask for this to move to Chat for more traffic as I'm really interested in this now!

Does this help?

www.cardiacdirect.com/how-to-read-a-patient-monitor/?srsltid=AfmBOoofVgW2fBOg0Y5pE5zq24X1co7EvphunUVFckPghhGDLaxZhqAY

@SingingSands - that is useful thank you x

It was definately just 3 'pulse' lines though. No temp, respiration on the monitor.

it's most likely to be artefact (ie. related to the tech and nothing to do with his heart).

@Greybeardy - yes possibly! We do know that something is affecting his heart (why Consultant has ordered cMRI) & I was interested in the '3 pulse lines' which is different to the monitor in A&E/on the ward.

And they were marked : BPM 1, BPM 2, BPM 3.
Wish I'd been able to take a pic (obvs not!) as it's hard to explain/draw.

Thanks for moving this thread @MNHQ

Bump.

Bump.

the three lines mean they were monitoring his heart on the screen from three different viewpoints. Often in ED only one lead is used because for a lot of things that's enough. The change in appearance is most likely due to the tech rather than his heart. None of us can say much more than that without being able to see the screen. If they didn't look worried/interested then it was something fairly predictable and not something to worry about.

@Greybeardy Thanks but I didn't say I was worried especially I & made it clear I wasn't asking for medical advice, I just wanted to understand the distinctive patterns. As MN is an amazingly varied place I was hoping someone who had experience of MRI machines might be able to explain a little more how the 3 heartrate monitor lines part of it works.

I'm on the periphery of cardiac MRI as experience has taught me if you get 'too involved' you end up doing it! I put on the ECG dots and lines, and sometimes put in a cannula, if needed. I'm semi-retired 'bank'; but I can tell you that all the traces 3 or even 4, don't 'conform' to what you see on telly. They're measuring different things for different reasons.

Odd looking traces are exactly what most of them look like. They bear no relationship to a conventional ECG trace. In perfectly healthy individuals.