Method and apparatus for generating a twelve-lead ECG from fewer than ten electrodes

A method of acquiring and processing electrical signals produced by a patient's heart, the method comprising the acts of:

• attaching a plurality of less than ten electrodes to the patient, the act of attaching including
• attaching each of the electrodes in a one of the standard ten-electrode, twelve-lead electrocardiogram positions, and
• attaching an electrode in one of (a) approximately the fourth intercostal space at the right border of the patient's sternum and (b) approximately the fourth intercostal space at the left border of the patient's sternum;
• acquiring electrical signals from the electrodes;
• and
• generating a twelve-lead electrocardiogram from the acquired electrical signals.

A device for acquiring and processing electrical signals produced by a patient's heart, the device comprising:

• a plurality of less than ten electrodes for attachment to the patient, at least two of the electrodes attachable to the patient's chest in two of the standard ten-electrode, twelve-lead electrocardiograph positions and at least three of the electrodes attachable to the patient's limbs in three of the standard ten-electrode, twelve-lead electrocardiograph positions;
• and
• a signal processor connected to the electrodes for acquiring electrical signals from the electrodes and for generating a twelve-lead electrocardiogram from the electrical signals;
• wherein the electrodes attachable to the patient's chest include an electrode attachable in one of (a) approximately the fourth intercostal space at the right border of the patient's sternum and (b) approximately the fourth intercostal space at the left border of the patient's sternum.

A method of acquiring and processing electrical signals produced by a patient's heart, the method comprising the acts of:

• attaching a plurality of less than ten electrodes to the patient, the act of attaching including
• attaching at least two of the electrodes to the patient's chest in two of the standard ten-electrode, twelve-lead electrocardiogram positions and attaching at least three of the electrodes to the patient's limbs in three of the standard ten-electrode twelve-lead electrocardiogram positions, and
• attaching an electrode in one of (a) approximately the fourth intercostal space at the right border of the patient's sternum and (b) approximately the fourth intercostal space at the left border of the patient's sternum;
• acquiring electrical signals from the electrodes;
• and
• generating a twelve-lead electrocardiogram from the acquired electrical signals.

A device for acquiring and processing electrical signals produced by a patient's heart, the device comprising:

• a plurality of less than ten electrodes each for attachment to the patient in a one of the standard ten-electrode, twelve-lead electrocardiogram electrode positions;
• and
• a signal processor connected to the plurality of less than ten electrodes for acquiring electrical signals from the electrodes and for generating a twelve-lead electrocardiogram from the electrical signals;
• wherein the plurality of electrodes includes an electrode for attachment to the patient in approximately the fourth intercostal space at the right border of the patient's sternum and an electrode for attachment to the patient in approximately the fifth intercostal space at the patient's anterior axillary line.

A method of acquiring and processing electrical signals produced by a patient's heart, the method comprising the acts of:

• attaching a plurality of less than ten electrodes to the patient, the act of attaching including
• attaching each of the electrodes in a one of the standard ten-electrode, twelve-lead electrocardiogram positions, and
• attaching an electrode in approximately the fourth intercostal space at the right border of the patient's sternum and in approximately the fifth intercostal space at the patient's anterior axillary line;
• acquiring electrical signals from the electrodes;
• and
• generating a twelve-lead electrocardiogram from the acquired electrical signals.

A method of acquiring and processing electrical signals produced by a patient's heart, the method comprising the acts of:

• attaching a plurality of less than ten electrodes to the patient, the act of attaching including attaching each of the electrodes in a one of the standard ten-electrode, twelve-lead electrocardiogram positions;
• acquiring electrical signals from the electrodes;
• and
• generating a partially-synthesized twelve-lead electrocardiogram from the acquired electrical signals without acquiring an actual twelve-lead electrocardiogram with ten electrodes before generating the partially-synthesized twelve-lead electrocardiogram.

A device for acquiring and processing electrical signals produced by a patient's heart, the device comprising:

• a plurality of less than ten electrodes each for attachment to the patient in a one of the standard ten-electrode, twelve-lead electrocardiogram electrode positions;
• a signal processor connected to the plurality of less than ten electrodes for acquiring electrical signals from the electrodes and for generating a twelve-lead electrocardiogram from the electrical signals, the generated twelve-lead electrocardiogram including leads I, II, III, aVR, aVL, aVF, V1, V2, V3, V4, V5, and V6;
• and
• a software module in the signal processor for mathematically generating leads V1 or V2, V3, V4, and V6 from the electrical signals, the software module generating the leads mathematically from the electrical signals acquired by the signal processor using multiple-linear regression, the software module using expansion coefficients in the multiple-linear regression.

A method of acquiring and processing electrical signals produced by a patient's heart, the method comprising the acts of:

• attaching a plurality of less than ten electrodes to the patient, the act of attaching including attaching each of the electrodes in a one of the standard ten-electrode, twelve-lead electrocardiogram positions;
• acquiring electrical signals from the electrodes;
• generating a twelve-lead electrocardiogram from the electrical signals, the twelve-lead electrocardiogram including leads I, II, III, aVR, aVL, aVF, V1, V2, V3, V4, V5, and V6;
• and
• mathematically generating leads V1 or V2, V3, V4, and V6 from the electrical signals using multiple-linear regression and using expansion coefficients in the multiple-linear regression.

A device for acquiring and processing electrical signals produced by a patient's heart, the device comprising:

• a plurality of less than ten electrodes for attachment to the patient, at least two of the electrodes attachable to the patient's chest in two of the standard ten-electrode, twelve-lead electrocardiograph positions and at least three of the electrodes attachable to the patient's limbs in three of the standard ten-electrode, twelve-lead electrocardiograph positions;
• a signal processor connected to the electrodes for acquiring electrical signals from the electrodes and for generating a twelve-lead electrocardiogram from the electrical signals, the generated twelve-lead electrocardiogram including leads I, II, III, aVR, aVL, aVF, V1, V2, V3, V4, V5, and V6;
• and
• a software module in the signal processor for mathematically generating leads V1 or V2, V3, V4, and V6 from the electrical signals using multiple-linear regression and using expansion coefficients in the multiple-linear regression.

A method of acquiring and processing electrical signals produced by a patient's heart, the method comprising the acts of:

• attaching a plurality of less than ten electrodes to the patient, the act of attaching including
• attaching at least two of the electrodes to the patient's chest in two of the standard ten-electrode, twelve-lead electrocardiogram positions, and
• attaching at least three of the electrodes to the patient's limbs in three of the standard ten-electrode twelve-lead electrocardiogram positions;
• acquiring electrical signals from the electrodes;
• generating a twelve-lead electrocardiogram from the electrical signals, the twelve-lead electrocardiogram including leads I, II, III, aVR, aVL, aVF, V1, V2, V3, V4, V5, and V6;
• and
• mathematically generating leads V1 or V2, V3, V4, and V6 from the electrical signals using multiple-linear regression and using expansion coefficients in the multiple-linear regression.

A method of acquiring and processing electrical signals produced by a patient's heart, the method comprising the acts of:

• attaching a plurality of less than ten electrodes to the patient, the act of attaching including attaching each of the electrodes in a one of the standard ten-electrode, twelve-lead electrocardiogram positions;
• acquiring electrical signals from the electrodes;
• and
• generating a at least one twelve-lead electrocardiogram from the electrical signals in a time period of approximately 200 milliseconds as the electrical signals are acquired using population-based equations.

A method of acquiring and processing electrical signals produced by a patient's heart, the method comprising the acts of:

• attaching a plurality of less than ten electrodes to the patient, the act of attaching including
• attaching at least two of the electrodes to the patient's chest in two of the standard ten-electrode, twelve-lead electrocardiogram positions, and
• attaching at least three of the electrodes to the patient's limbs in three of the standard ten-electrode twelve-lead electrocardiogram positions;
• acquiring electrical signals from the electrodes;
• and
• generating a at least one twelve-lead electrocardiogram from the electrical signals in a time period of approximately 200 milliseconds as the electrical sigznals are acquired using population-based equations.

A method of generating a twelve-lead electrocardiogram from electrical data acquired from a patient's heart, the method comprising the acts of:

• attaching a plurality of less than ten electrodes to the patient, the act of attaching including attaching at least two of the electrodes to the patient's chest in two of the standard ten-electrode, twelve-lead electrocardiogram positions and attaching at least three of the electrodes to the patient's limbs in three of the standard ten-electrode, twelve-lead electrocardiogram positions;
• acquiring a first and second channel of data from the electrodes attached to the patient's chest;
• acquiring a third and fourth channel of data from the electrodes attached to the patient's limbs;
• generating a twelve-lead electrocardiogram from the acquired channels of data.

An electrocardiograph device for acquiring and processing electrical data from a patient's heart, the device comprising:

• a plurality of less than ten electrodes attachable to the patient,
• at least two of the plurality of electrodes attachable to the patient's chest in two of the standard ten-electrode, twelve-lead electrocardiograph positions, the output of the electrodes attachable to the patient's chest being a first and second channel of data, and
• at least three of the plurality of electrodes attachable to the patient's limbs in three of the standard ten-electrode, twelve-lead electrocardiograph positions, the output of the electrodes attachable to the patient's limbs being a third and fourth channel of data;
• and
• a signal processor for acquiring the channels of data and for generating a twelve-lead electrocardiogram from the acquired channels of data.