The reliability of the Q and QS patterns classified by the Minnesota code for the diagnosis of myocardial infarction was studied in 697 consecutive autopsied cases including 82 cases of myocardial infarction. Abnormal Q and QS patterns were observed in 111 of 615 non-infarction cases, while 42 of 82 cases with myocardial infarction showed these patterns. The persistent appearance of the I-1 Q waves was highly reliable for the diagnosis of myocardial infarction, while the transient or terminal

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... pearance of the I-1 Q waves revealed low reliability. The I-2 and the I-3 Q waves revealed little reliability regardless of the type of their appearance. A BNORMAL Q and QS patterns have been recognized as one of the most important electrocardiographic findings of myocardial infarction. We have previously reported1) the incidence of the Q and QS patterns classified with the Minnesota code2),3) on autopsy proven myocardial infarction in the aged. However, it is well known that such Q and QS patterns are also found in cases without myocardial infarction.4) The purpose of the present paper is to evaluate the reliability of the classified Q and QS patterns for the diagnosis of myocardial infarction in consecutively autopsied cases of the aged. MATERIALS AND METHODS All available electrocardiograms of 697 cases of consecutive autopsies over the age of 60 at Yokufukai Geriatric Hospital, from October 1958 through February 1966, including 82 cases of myocardial infarction, were reviewed with respect to the Q and QS patterns classified by the Minnesota code. In this study, the additional items of the QS patterns in leads II, III and aVF, which were not employed in the original code, were also reviewed. Almost every patient had serial electrocardiograms recorded more frequently than every half year, and the percentage From the