Wearable Wireless Dual-Plane OPM-MCG System for Rest/Stress Cardiac Magnetic Field Measurement

Magnetocardiography (MCG) is a contactless and non-invasive technique for measuring magnetic fields generated by cardiac electrical activities. However, existing MCG systems, constrained by limited portability and flexibility, typically capture magnetic field only from a single plane and restrict subjects’ movement during measurement. These limitations severely hinder critical clinical applications of MCG, such as exercise stress testing and multi-plane magnetic field analysis, essential for diagnosing cardiac diseases. To address these challenges, we present the first wearable, wireless multichannel MCG system based on optically pumped magnetometers. This innovative system enables simultaneous measurement of MCG signals in two perpendicular planes during rest, stress, and recovery states, thereby overcoming the spatial limitations of traditional single-plane configurations. Experimental validation confirms the system’s reliability and demonstrates novel insights into the dipolar patterns of cardiac electrical activity, particularly during the T-wave period, enabled by dual-plane measurements. Notably, for the first time, we measure and analyze the lateral-plane MCG data during the T-wave period. By integrating wireless communication and dual-plane spatially complementary measurements, this study substantially advances MCG technology, enhancing its clinical flexibility, sensitivity and diagnostic capabilities, particularly for detecting myocardial ischemia.