Advances in Electrocardiology: Diagnostic Innovations and Clinical Applications

A special issue of Diagnostics (ISSN 2075-4418). This special issue belongs to the section "Medical Imaging and Theranostics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2026 | Viewed by 2794

Editor


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Neurocardiology Laboratory, Institute for Cardiovascular Diseases Dedinje, Belgrade, Serbia
Interests: cardiovascular; neurocardiology; autonomic
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Electrocardiology has entered a new era characterized by the integration of advanced signal analytics, computational modeling, and artificial intelligence. Beyond traditional ECG morphology and rhythm interpretation, modern approaches now explore subtle temporal and spectral features that reflect autonomic regulation and myocardial integrity. Parameters such as heart rate variability (HRV), deceleration and acceleration capacity (DC and AC), and ventricular late potentials have emerged as robust markers of autonomic imbalance, myocardial vulnerability, and arrhythmogenic substrate. When analyzed jointly, these indices provide valuable insight into the complex interplay between neural and electrophysiological control of the heart, supporting early detection of cardiovascular dysfunction even before overt clinical manifestation.

Parallel to these physiological metrics, machine learning and deep neural networks have demonstrated unprecedented ability to identify invisible electrocardiographic signatures-patterns beyond human perception-that correlate with left ventricular dysfunction, ischemic burden, or impending arrhythmia. The convergence of AI-driven analytics with classical physiological interpretation offers a powerful new framework for personalized risk stratification, bridging quantitative signal analysis with clinical decision support.

This Special Issue aims to highlight cutting-edge developments in electrocardiologic diagnostics and their translation into clinical applications. We invite submissions addressing methodological innovations, validation of novel ECG-derived parameters, multimodal integration of autonomic and hemodynamic signals, and the implementation of AI in predictive modeling and decision support. Contributions exploring the role of advanced ECG analytics in syncope, heart failure, myocardial infarction, cardiomyopathies, or sudden cardiac death prevention are particularly encouraged.

By combining physiologic insight with data-driven intelligence, this Special Issue seeks to define the next frontier in electrocardiology—transforming the ECG from a static recording into a dynamic, predictive biomarker of cardiovascular health.

Prof. Dr. Branislav Milovanovic
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Diagnostics is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • heart rate variability (HRV)
  • deceleration capacity
  • acceleration capacity
  • late potentials
  • artificial intelligence
  • machine learning
  • autonomic nervous system
  • electrocardiographic biomarkers
  • risk stratification
  • predictive analytics
  • signal processing

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

16 pages, 2588 KB  
Article
Associations of Poincaré Plot-Derived Parameters with Heart Rate Variability and Autonomic Reflex Testing in a Real-World Clinical Population
by Branislav Milovanović, Nikola Marković, Maša Petrović, Aleksa Korugić and Milovan Bojić
Diagnostics 2026, 16(7), 1016; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics16071016 - 27 Mar 2026
Viewed by 1119
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Poincaré plot analysis represents a nonlinear approach to heart rate variability (HRV) assessment, but the physiological meaning of several derived parameters remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate associations between selected Poincaré plot-derived parameters, conventional HRV indices, and cardiovascular autonomic reflex tests [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Poincaré plot analysis represents a nonlinear approach to heart rate variability (HRV) assessment, but the physiological meaning of several derived parameters remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate associations between selected Poincaré plot-derived parameters, conventional HRV indices, and cardiovascular autonomic reflex tests in a real-world clinical population. Methods: This observational study included 269 adult patients referred for evaluation of suspected autonomic dysfunction. All participants underwent short-term resting ECG, cardiovascular autonomic reflex testing, and 24 h Holter ECG monitoring. Poincaré plot-derived parameters were analyzed in relation to short- and long-term HRV measures using the Spearman correlation with false discovery rate correction, and group comparisons were performed based on reflex test results. Results: Several Poincaré plot-derived parameters showed strong correlations with long-term HRV indices. VLI and LA were primarily associated with global and long-term autonomic variability, whereas VAI and SA were more closely related to parasympathetic modulation. Associations with short-term HRV were generally weak. Lower values of selected parameters were observed in patients with abnormal parasympathetic reflex tests, while no significant differences were found in relation to orthostatic hypotension. Conclusions: Poincaré plot-derived parameters capture complementary aspects of autonomic regulation beyond conventional HRV indices and may enhance autonomic phenotyping in clinical settings. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

30 pages, 2061 KB  
Review
Advances in the Interpretation of the Electrocardiogram by Artificial Intelligence
by S. Suave Lobodzinski and Ryszard Piotrowicz
Diagnostics 2026, 16(14), 2167; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics16142167 - 10 Jul 2026
Viewed by 1092
Abstract
The electrocardiogram (ECG) is essential for cardiovascular diagnosis but limited by inter-observer variability, low sensitivity for subclinical disease, and labor-intensive telemonitoring analysis. Artificial intelligence (AI), particularly deep learning, addresses these constraints by extracting high-dimensional patterns that correlate with arrhythmias, structural abnormalities, and systemic [...] Read more.
The electrocardiogram (ECG) is essential for cardiovascular diagnosis but limited by inter-observer variability, low sensitivity for subclinical disease, and labor-intensive telemonitoring analysis. Artificial intelligence (AI), particularly deep learning, addresses these constraints by extracting high-dimensional patterns that correlate with arrhythmias, structural abnormalities, and systemic conditions. This integrative review synthesizes recent advances in AI-enabled ECG, covering technical foundations—including foundation models and validation strategies—and clinical applications, such as arrhythmia detection, structural heart disease identification, and digital biomarker derivation. We discuss emerging trends like self-supervised learning, multimodal integration, generative models, and explainability techniques. Furthermore, we tackle critical challenges regarding generalizability, algorithmic bias, privacy, and regulatory systems. Finally, we outline research priorities, including curated open datasets, and deployment in resource-constrained settings. With stringent validation, transparent governance, and human-centered design, AI-ECG has the potential to enhance cardiovascular diagnostics and clinical outcomes across a variety of healthcare settings. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop