Analysis of electrocardiogram signals

• US 8,934,964 B2
• Filed: 11/24/2013
• Issued: 01/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BIO Signal Analysis Ltd.
• Original Assignee: BIO Signal Analysis Ltd.
• Inventors: Shani, Benjamin, Revzen, Shai, Frimerman, Aaron
• Primary Examiner(s): VOORHEES, CATHERINE M
• Application Number:
  US14/088,402
• Publication Number:
  US 20140081163A1
• Time in Patent Office: 415 Days
• Field of Search: 600508-509, 600516-518, 600/521
• US Class Current: 600/516
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/25 Bioelectric electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/316 Modalities, i.e. specific diagnostic methods
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/339 Displays specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/341 Vectorcardiography [VCG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/349 Detecting specific parameters of the electrocardiograph cycle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/352 Detecting R peaks, e.g. for synchronising diagnostic apparatus; Estimating R-R interval
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/364 Detecting abnormal ECG interval, e.g. extrasystoles, ectopic heartbeats

Abstract

A method for graphical representation of a train of ECG complexes having an R wave and a T-P interval and having variable isoelectric baselines. The method involves aligning the complexes in terms of signal amplitude by obtaining a baseline, thereby to provide a graphical representation of said train of ECG complexes; and aligning said complexes temporally using corresponding predetermined points.

Claims

1. A method for graphical representation of a train of ECG complexes, each of said electrocardiogram (ECG), complexes respectively comprising an R wave and a T-P interval and having respectively variable isoelectric baselines, the method implemented on an electronic processor, the method comprising:

obtaining electrocardiogram (ECG) signals from electrodes placed on a subject and, using said electronic processor, carrying out two alignments for each complex as follows;

aligning said complexes in terms of signal amplitude by obtaining a respective T-P interval for each ECG complex, using said T-P interval to infer said respective isolectric baseline and aligning said isoelectric baselines; and

aligning said complexes temporally using a predetermined point on respective R-waves, thereby to graphically represent said train of ECG complexes as a superposition of said ECG complexes into a single complex.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising obtaining said train separately from each one of a plurality of leads at different locations on a subject.

3. The method of claim 2, comprising processing said train as obtained from said different leads as a linear projection of said train in a direction to a respective lead from the heart, thereby to provide a three-dimensional vector plot of said train.

4. The method of claim 1, comprising obtaining said train of ECG complexes using a sampling rate in excess of 1 KHz.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising obtaining said train of ECG complexes as at least a sixteen bit signal.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising carrying out said aligning of said isoelectric baselines using respective T-P intervals by use of polynomial cubic hermite splines.

7. A method of electronically displaying electrocardiogram (ECG) representations of respective heartbeats of a patient comprising:

obtaining ECG complexes as respective signals of succeeding heartbeats from a patient, said obtaining using electrodes placed on said patient,

electronically aligning said ECG signals by obtaining a respective T-P interval for each ECG complex, using said T-P interval to infer said respective isolectric baseline and aligning said isoelectric baselines, and aligning said complexes temporally using a predetermined point on respective R-waves,

superimposing said aligned complexes into a single complex, and electronically displaying said single complex, thereby to provide a representation of variations in an ECG signal over time.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said superimposing comprises retaining shape information of said ECG representations so that said displaying said superimposed signals comprises displaying shape variation of said ECG signals.