Activation maps described as a pebble in a pond correspond to which pattern?

Activation maps described as a pebble in a pond correspond to which pattern?

• A. Focal
• B. Linear
• C. Diffuse
• D. Rotational

Answer: (A)

Activation maps show where electrical activation starts and how it spreads through the tissue. Describing it as a pebble dropped into a pond captures a focal pattern perfectly: a single point of earliest activation with wavefronts radiating outward to surrounding tissue, just like ripples from a splash. On the map you’d see one location lighting up first, and the activation timing spreading outward in a radial, concentric fashion. In contrast, a linear pattern would show activation moving along a defined path or tract, not from a single point. A diffuse pattern would lack a clear earliest site, with activation appearing widespread rather than emanating from one focus. A rotational pattern involves a circulating wave around a core, as seen in reentrant spiral activity. So the pebble-in-a-pond description aligns best with a focal source.

Activation maps show where electrical activation starts and how it spreads through the tissue. Describing it as a pebble dropped into a pond captures a focal pattern perfectly: a single point of earliest activation with wavefronts radiating outward to surrounding tissue, just like ripples from a splash. On the map you’d see one location lighting up first, and the activation timing spreading outward in a radial, concentric fashion.

In contrast, a linear pattern would show activation moving along a defined path or tract, not from a single point. A diffuse pattern would lack a clear earliest site, with activation appearing widespread rather than emanating from one focus. A rotational pattern involves a circulating wave around a core, as seen in reentrant spiral activity. So the pebble-in-a-pond description aligns best with a focal source.