Introduction: A 45-year-old man with idiopathic ventricular tachycardia (VT) having a right bundle branch block configuration with right-axis deviation underwent an electrophysiologic test.
Methods and results: Mapping demonstrated a site on the anterobasal wall of the left ventricle where there was an excellent pace map and an endocardial activation time of -20 msec, but radiofrequency catheter ablation at this site was unsuccessful. At a nearby site, a presumed Purkinje potential preceded the by 30 msec during VT and sinus rhythm, and catheter ablation was effective despite a poor pace map and an endocardial ventricular activation time of zero.
Conclusion: Idiopathic VT with a right bundle branch configuration and right-axis deviation may originate in the area of the left anterior fascicle. A potential presumed to represent a Purkinje potential may be more helpful than endocardial ventricular activation mapping or pace mapping in guiding ablation of this type of VT.