Method and apparatus for ECG rhythm analysis
First Claim
1. An apparatus for automatic heartbeat rhythm analysis of ECG signals comprising:
- means for digitizing said ECG signals;
means responsive to said digitized ECG signals for automatically detecting heartbeats including means for analyzing said detected heartbeats;
means for assessing the relative timing of said detected heartbeats relative to prior heartbeats;
means responsive to said analysis for classifying each of said detected heartbeats as one of a plurality of beat types, said plurality of beat types including a plurality of sequences of beat types, said classifying means further comprising;
first stage means responsive to said timing means for automatically classifying each of said detected heartbeats as one of a first plurality of single heartbeat types; and
state machine means responsive to said first stage classification for automatically determining when said detected heartbeats are part of one of said plurality of sequences of heartbeat types and for classifying said detected heartbeats so determined as belonging to one of said sequence type plurality, said apparatus further comprising;
means responsive to said classifying means for automatically forming and storing class records, at least one for each of said plurality of beat types including said plurality of sequences of beat types; and
means for displaying all or a portion of preselected ones of said class records.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for automatic rhythm analysis of digitized ECG signals. Candidate heartbeats are detected and the noise of the ECG signal portion containing the candidate is evaluated to determine whether the candidate is a valid nominal or noisy beat or an invalid noisy saturated signal. The timing of detected heartbeats, both noisy and nominal, are determined relative to prior validated heartbeats. Features of the detected heartbeats are automatically extracted including onset, offset and R wave locations; QRS complex width; R-R interval based on the onset points; instantaneous and averaged heartrates; and others. A 16 point template of the heartbeat starting at the onset is also determined. Beats are then classified in a two step process; first, by template comparison with a previously determined dominant template, and second, by a finite state machine process based on the results of the template comparison and relative timing of the beat. As a result of the two step classification beats are classified as belonging to a plurality of beat types including both single and sequence beat types. A class record for each beat type is created and stored, any portion of which is accessible for display upon demand.
236 Citations
16 Claims
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1. An apparatus for automatic heartbeat rhythm analysis of ECG signals comprising:
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means for digitizing said ECG signals; means responsive to said digitized ECG signals for automatically detecting heartbeats including means for analyzing said detected heartbeats; means for assessing the relative timing of said detected heartbeats relative to prior heartbeats; means responsive to said analysis for classifying each of said detected heartbeats as one of a plurality of beat types, said plurality of beat types including a plurality of sequences of beat types, said classifying means further comprising; first stage means responsive to said timing means for automatically classifying each of said detected heartbeats as one of a first plurality of single heartbeat types; and state machine means responsive to said first stage classification for automatically determining when said detected heartbeats are part of one of said plurality of sequences of heartbeat types and for classifying said detected heartbeats so determined as belonging to one of said sequence type plurality, said apparatus further comprising; means responsive to said classifying means for automatically forming and storing class records, at least one for each of said plurality of beat types including said plurality of sequences of beat types; and means for displaying all or a portion of preselected ones of said class records. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of automatic rhythm analysis of digitized ECG signals comprising:
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detecting said heartbeats from said digitized ECG signals; analyzing said detected heartbeats including assessing the timing of said detected heartbeats relative to prior detected heartbeats; automatically classifying each of said detected heartbeats in response to said analysis as one of a plurality of heartbeat types including a plurality of sequences of heartbeat types, said classifying step including; identifying a dominant heartbeat type; comparing said detected heartbeats with said dominant heartbeat and classifying said detected heartbeats as dominant or abnormal; determining whether a detected heartbeat is part of one of said plurality of sequences of heartbeat types from said relative timing and said classification of said heartbeat as dominant or abnormal; and classifying said detected heartbeat as one of said sequence plurality when said detected heartbeat is determined to be part of one of said sequence plurality, said method further comprising; automatically forming and storing class records for each of said plurality of heartbeat types including said plurality of sequences of heartbeat types; and displaying all or a portion of selected ones of said class records. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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Specification