Method and apparatus for recording and analyzing body surface electrocardiographic peak maps
First Claim
1. A body surface electrocardiographic mapping apparatus comprising:
- means for continually detecting electrocardiographic signals at n selected points on the surface of a person'"'"'s chest to provide signals in n channels, n being a positive integer, each channel containing signals detected at a selected point on the person'"'"'s chest; and
means for identifying, mapping the maxima and minima of the signals with respect to a predetermined reference point in time and processing said maxima and minima, wherein said identifying, mapping and processing means also comprises means for correlating the maxima or minima of the signals detected at said n selected points.
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Abstract
The peak potential values of each cardioelectric wave components detected from the body surface are uniquely presented as a few iso-potential and isochronous contour maps by the electrocardiac peak mapping (EPM) method and apparatus described. The change in the size and the contour of the relevant EPM maps provides a simple, non-invasive, yet sensitive means for clinical diagnosis of at least the following heart diseases:
1) the locations and sizes of myocardial infarction (hereafter, MI),
2) primary and second cardiomyopathies,
3) locations and sizes of "non-Q-wave MI", which can not be diagnosed by conventional electrocardiography, and
4) various intracardiac conduction blocks and Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome,
5) various repolarization abnormalities and their quantitative analysis.
The EPM apparatus comprises an elastic Waistcoat with embodied special electrodes, signal preprocessors, a multiplexer, a main differential amplifier, and a general purpose computer with appropriate software. The EPM analysis includes the identification of the peak potential and peak time displacement, the contruction of the isopotential and isochronous maps and the diagnosis of heart diseases. The diagnosis is achieved by comparison of the statistically obtained normal values to that of a patient. The complete EPM process can be carried out within ten minutes.
171 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A body surface electrocardiographic mapping apparatus comprising:
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means for continually detecting electrocardiographic signals at n selected points on the surface of a person'"'"'s chest to provide signals in n channels, n being a positive integer, each channel containing signals detected at a selected point on the person'"'"'s chest; and means for identifying, mapping the maxima and minima of the signals with respect to a predetermined reference point in time and processing said maxima and minima, wherein said identifying, mapping and processing means also comprises means for correlating the maxima or minima of the signals detected at said n selected points. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A body surface electrocardiographic mapping method comprising:
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continually detecting electrocardiographic signals at n selected points on the surface 8 a person'"'"'s chest to provide signals in n channels, n being a positive integer, each channel containing signals detected at a selected point on the person'"'"'s chest; and identifying and mapping the maxima and minima of the signals with respect to a predetermined reference point in time, processing said maxima and minima, and correlating said maxima or minima of the signals detected at said n selected points. - View Dependent Claims (5)
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6. A body surface electrocardiographic mapping apparatus comprising:
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means adapted for continually detecting electrocardiographic signals at n selected points on the surface of a person'"'"'s chest to provide signals in n channels, n being a positive integer, each channel containing signals detected at a selected point on the person'"'"'s chest; and means for processing the signals into isochronous maps and isopotential maps of the n points, wherein the two types of maps are superposed upon one another with respect to the n selected points to facilitate diagnosis. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8)
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9. A waistcoat suitable for use in electrocardiographic mapping comprising:
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an elastic coat; and a set of electrodes supported by the coat, said electrodes comprising electrically conductive cloth adapted to contact selected areas of a person'"'"'s trunk, said cloth comprising a fabric plated with an electrically conducting material, said fabric being soft and adapted to conform to the shape of a person'"'"'s trunk to increase the areas of contact with the person'"'"'s trunk, said electrodes having portions that are removable for sterilization and recycling. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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Specification