Title :
Automatic Real-Time ECG Coding Methodology Guaranteeing Signal Interpretation Quality
Author :
Alesanco, Alvaro ; Garcia, J.
Author_Institution :
Aragon Inst. of Eng. Res., Univ. of Zaragoza, Zaragoza
Abstract :
This paper introduces a new methodology for compressing ECG signals in an automatic way guaranteeing signal interpretation quality. The approach is based on noise estimation in the ECG signal that is used as a compression threshold in the coding stage. The Set Partitioning in Hierarchical Trees algorithm is used to code the signal in the wavelet domain. Forty different ECG records from two different ECG databases commonly used in ECG compression have been considered to validate the approach. Three cardiologists have participated in the clinical trial using mean opinion score tests in order to rate the signals quality. Results showed that the approach not only achieves very good ECG reconstruction quality but also enhances the visual quality of the ECG signal.
Keywords :
electrocardiography; encoding; image reconstruction; medical signal processing; wavelet transforms; automatic real-time ECG coding methodology; hierarchical trees algorithm; image reconstruction; noise estimation; set partitioning; wavelet domain; Cardiology; Communications technology; Data compression; Databases; Distortion measurement; Electrocardiography; Fourier transforms; IEEE members; Paramagnetic resonance; Partitioning algorithms; Visual databases; Wavelet domain; Wavelet transforms; Clinical evaluation; ECG coding; Set Partitioning in Hierarchical Trees (SPIHT); Algorithms; Analysis of Variance; Arrhythmias, Cardiac; Data Compression; Electrocardiography; Humans; Information Storage and Retrieval; Medical Records Systems, Computerized; Quality Control; Reproducibility of Results;
Journal_Title :
Biomedical Engineering, IEEE Transactions on
DOI :
10.1109/TBME.2008.2001263
