12-lead ECG Delineation by Clinical Database

Abstract

Identifying characteristic points of 12-lead electrocardiograph (ECG) by computers is crucial to the development of computer assisted ECG interpreters, which are necessary for 12-lead ECG instruments as recommended by American College of Physicians and American Heart Association in 2003. However, most algorithms of ECG characteristic point detection are developed based on open accessed MIT/BIH arrhythmic database by one- or two-lead signal recording of 24-hour ECG monitoring holters instead of 12-lead ECG instruments. This is because the digital output of 12-lead ECG instruments was encrypted by ECG manufactures. In this study, we used a novel wavelet transform to delineate 12-lead ECG features including P wave, QRS complex, and T wave based on clinical used SCP-ECG by 12-lead ECG instruments, which were decoded by our previous research. The results indicated the following: (1) the average sensitivity of R wave is 99%,, the specificity is 99.9%; (2) the average sensitivity for J point is 97%,, the specificity is 99.9 %; (3) P wave and T wave can be delineated effectively with high sensitivity and specificity. It is believed that this type of more accurate assessment of national clinical 12-lead ECG data can facilitate more rapid development of 12-lead ECG interpreters made in Taiwan.