US 4,989,610 A · Method and system of ECG data review and analysis

Abstract

A method and computerized system for ECG data review and analysis are provided. In preferred embodiments, a transformation is performed on beat data and the transformed data are categorized into beat "bins." The clinician/user may select sensitivity to vary the number of bins created by the system. Once beats are preliminarily assigned to bins by the system, the clinician/user may review beats by bin and reassigned beats as desired. In preferred embodiments, recategorization is accomplished by "dragging" a beat to a new bin with the aid of a pointing device or "mouse." In preferred embodiments, a superimposition mode allows dynamic review of beat graphs with automatic detection, color coding, and optional pause at abnormal beats. Audio information is also preferably provided to aid the clinician/user in detecting abnormal beats. A P-wave marker capability is also provided to give a constant reference point during beat review in the superimposition mode. Preferred embodiments also provide the clinician/user immediate access to surrounding real-time data when reviewing individual beats.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A method of analyzing data representing a patient's heart beats over a period of time as a plurality of waveforms, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) performing a Fourier analysis on the beat data to obtain pluralities of points in the complex plane representing the natural complex frequencies of each beat and preliminarily categorizing the beats into a plurality of bins of similar waveforms based on the proximity of corresponding pluralities of points in the complex plane;
(b) displaying a plurality of representative beats on a display screen, the beats being representative of a plurality of bins;
(c) selecting a bin for possible recategorization;
(d) after performing steps b and c, displaying the waveform of a representative beat from the selected bin superimposed over a waveform from a displayed bin to allow direct comparison of the waveform of the selected bin and the displayed bin;
(e) comparing the superimposed waveforms to determine if they are similar enough to be merged;
and
(f) after comparing the superimposed waveforms, merging the selected bin and the displayed bin compared therewith if sufficient similarity is found.

4 more elements

A method for categorizing ECG data which contains a plurality of heartbeat waveforms, each waveform having a predetermined feature, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) sampling the data;
(b) detecting the occurrence of the predetermined feature in the sampled data and identifying each of the waveforms containing the predetermined feature;
(c) selecting each portion of the ECG data having a predetermined relationship to the predetermined feature of each of the waveforms;
(d) performing a discrete Fourier transform on each of the data portions to produce a plurality of points in the complex plane characterizing the natural complex frequencies of each data portion;
(e) categorizing each plurality of points in the complex plane into one of a plurality of bins by determining whether each point in the complex plane falls within a corresponding window area of predetermined size that is centered about a corresponding point that characterizes the natural complex frequencies of a waveform that represents the bin;
and
(f) identifying each of the samples portions of ECG data with the bin into which the corresponding plurality of points in the complex plane is categorized.

4 more elements

A method for categorizing ECG data which contains a plurality of heartbeat waveforms, each waveform having a predetermined feature, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) sampling the data with a uniform sampling frequency;
(b) detecting the occurrence of the predetermined feature in the sampled data and identifying each of the waveforms containing the predetermined feature;
(c) selecting each portion of each of the ECG data having a predetermined relationship with the predetermined feature of each of the waveforms;
(d) performing a discrete Fourier transformation of each of the data portions and producing a plurality of points in the complex plane corresponding to the natural complex frequencies of each of the transformed portions;
(e1) categorizing each plurality of points in the complex plane into one of a plurality of bins by comparing the location of each of the plurality of points in the complex plane with an area defined by a window located around the corresponding one of each of the plurality of points in the complex plane that characterizes the natural complex frequencies of a waveform that represents the bin;
(e2) identifying all bins for which each of the plurality of points defining the transformed portion lies within each of the areas defined by the windows located around the corresponding points that characterize the natural complex frequencies of a waveform that represents the bin, the sampled portion being categorized in the bin identified with the transformed portion which minimizes the sum of the magnitude of the errors between points defining the transformed waveform portion and the corresponding points that characterize the natural complex frequencies of a waveform that represents the bin;
(e3) categorizing the sampled waveform with a new bin if no existing bin can be identified with the transformed portion, the new bin being characterized by the natural complex frequencies of a waveform that represents the bin;
and
(f) identifying each of the sampled waveforms with the bin with which the corresponding transformed portion is categorized.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and system of ECG data review and analysis

Life of this patent

Method and system of ECG data review and analysis

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims13