Improved detection of coronary artery disease by exercise electrocardiography with the use of right precordial leads

Using right precordial leads as well as left precordial leads during exercise testing can significantly improve the ability of an ECG to detect coronary artery disease. Leads are the electrodes that are attached to the chest during an ECG. Researchers gave 245 people hospitalized for angina two separate ECGs: a traditional 12-lead ECG and the same ECG with three right precordial leads added. The exercise test using right precordial leads detected 92% of the patients who were subsequently found to have coronary artery disease by angiography, compared to 66% using a 12-lead ECG. This result was comparable to thallium-201 imaging.