Martin Arthur

Research

Studies carried out by Professor Arthur in collaboration with cardiologists at the Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine are aimed at identifying adults who have had a heart attack and are at increased risk of having a subsequent attack. Even when these patients' hearts are beating normally, there are changes in their electrocardiograms that indicate they are at increased risk of developing a new life-threatening arrhythmia. Professor Arthur and his colleagues have identified subtle changes that occur in the spatial distribution, spectral characteristics, as well as in the waveforms of the electrocardiograms from patients at risk. Risk of arrhythmia occurrence is determined from the analysis of torso shape and from the nature and distribution of body-surface electrocardiograms.

In another series of studies, one aimed at improving ultrasonic techniques for the detection and staging of cancer, Professor Arthur has devised synthetic-focus algorithms for medical ultrasonic imaging. He is now working on methods to estimate temperature noninvasive during hyperthermia treatment for cancer with diagnostic ultrasound.

Biography

Following postdoctoral work from 1969 to 1970, Professor Arthur joined the faculty at Washington University in St. Louis.

Professor Arthur is a fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering. He was a member of the Committee on the Safe Use of Electricity in Health Care Facilities of the National Fire Protection Association, which writes the National Electric Code for hospitals. He has presented short-course tutorials on the safe use of electricity in hospitals. He was a member of the Editorial Committee of the Annual Reviews of Biophysics and Bioengineering and a member of the Editorial Board of the Journal of Clinical Engineering.

Affiliations

• Cardiac Bioelectricity & Arrhythmia Center (CBAC)
• Imaging Science PhD Program