ECG LEAD MISPLACEMENT DETECTION AND CORRECTION

Abstract

A physiological parameter analysis system (10) detects ECG electrode wire misplacement. The system (10) includes a transformation component (32) that transforms original ECG information and combinations thereof from a first ECG lead system to a second ECG lead system and an inverse transformation component (34) that derives ECG information in the first ECG lead system from the transformed ECG information and the combinations thereof. The system (10) further includes an analysis component (38) that determines a correct ECG lead configuration in the first ECG lead system from among the original ECG information and the combinations thereof based on the derived ECG information.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawings are only for purposes of illustrating embodiments and are not to be construed as limiting the claims.

FIG. 1 illustrates a physiological parameter analysis system that detects ECG electrode misplacement from acquired ECG signals and optionally corrects the misplaced electrodes.

FIG. 2 illustrates a method that detects ECG electrode misplacement from acquired ECG signals and optionally corrects the misplaced electrodes.

FIG. 3 graphically illustrates electrode placement for a standard twelve lead ECG system.

FIG. 4 graphically illustrates electrode placement for the EASI ECG system.

Claims

1. A physiological parameter analysis system (10) that detects ECG electrode wire misplacement, comprising: a transformation component (32) that transforms original ECG information and combinations thereof from a first ECG lead system to a second ECG lead system;an inverse transformation component (34) that derives ECG information in the first ECG lead system from the transformed ECG information and the combinations thereof; andan analysis component (38) that determines a correct ECG lead configuration in the first ECG lead system from among the original ECG information and the combinations thereof based on the derived ECG information.

2. The system (10) as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first lead system is one of a three, five, twelve, fifteen, and sixteen lead ECG system.

3. The system (10) as set forth in claim 1, wherein the second lead system is an EASI ECG lead system.

4. The system (10) as set forth in claim 1, further including: a combinationalyzer/decombinationalyzer (28) that generates the combinations from the original ECG information, the combinations representing possible combinations or permutations of electrode leads, each of at least two groups of electrodes, the groups being based on electrode wire length, and inverts the combinations from the transformed ECG information, the combinations representing possible combinations or permutations of electrode leads, each of at least two groups of electrodes, the groups being based on electrode wire length.

5. The system (10) as set forth in claim 1, further including: a notification component (56) that transmits a notification when the system (10) discovers an electrode wire has been misplaced.

6. The system (10) as set forth in claim 5, wherein the notification invokes an alarm.

7. The system (10) as set forth in claim 5, wherein the notification includes a message sent to at least one of an email address, a cell phone, a conventional telephone, a pager, a personal data assistant (PDA), a central monitoring station, a bedside monitor, a satellite, a viewing screen, an alarm light, and a network.

8. The system (10) as set forth in claim 7, wherein the notification includes information about the ECG information, a subject patient, an operator who obtained the data, and a location of the patient.

9. The system (10) as set forth in claim 1, further including: a correction component (52, 54) that automatically corrects ECG information deemed to include a misplaced electrode wire through computer executed instructions.

10. The system (10) as set forth in claim 9, further including a notification component (56) that transmits a message indicating the original ECG information included a misplaced electrode wire, which electrode wire was misplaced, and the correction that was performed.

11. The system (10) as set forth in claim 1, further including a receiver (14) that receives the ECG information from a source device (16), the source device (16) including one or more of an electrocardiograph (18), a Holter monitor (20), a computer, a defibrillator (22), a database, memory, and an ECG monitor.

12. The system (10) as set forth in claim 1, further including a transmitter (40) that conveys one of the original ECG information when deemed correct and corrected ECG information to a destination device (42).

13. A method that detects ECG electrode misplacement, comprising: obtaining first ECG information associated with a first ECG lead system;generating additional ECG information from the first ECG information with a plurality of combinations of electrode leads reversed;transforming the first ECG information and the plurality of additional ECG information to a second ECG lead system;deriving ECG information in the first ECG lead system from the transformed first and additional ECG information in the second lead system;analyzing the obtained first ECG information and the generated second ECG information with the derived first and additional ECG information; anddetermining whether a one of the obtained first and additional generated ECG information is correct ECG information based on the analysis.

14. The method as set forth in claim 13, wherein the analyzing step includes: determining a difference between each of the obtained first and generated additional ECG information and a corresponding one of the derived first and additional ECG information.

15. The method as set forth in claim 14, wherein the determining step includes: selecting a one of the obtained first and generated additional ECG information that is least different from its corresponding derived ECG information as the correct ECG information.

16. The method as set forth in claim 13, further including: automatically correcting the obtained ECG information by suitably reversing leads in obtained first ECG information when it is determined that the first ECG information is not correct.

17. The method as set forth in claim 13, further including: transmitting a notification of a misplaced electrode wire when the first ECG information is not determined to be the correct ECG information.

18. The method as set forth in claim 13, further including, prior to obtaining the first ECG information: placing electrodes on a patient; andrandomly connecting leads to the electrodes.

19. The method as set forth in claim 13, further including: identifying the lead system used to generate the ECG information; andselecting software to process the ECG information based on the identified lead system.

20. The method as set forth in claim 13, wherein the second lead system is an EASI ECG lead system.

21. A computer processor or software programmed to perform the method of claim 13.

22. An ECG system, comprising: a plurality of leads of a first lead system which are adapted to be connect with electrodes positioned on a subject and an electrocardiograph;an electrical signal analysis component which receives ECG information from the electrocardiograph representing output signals from the electrodes with an actual lead connection, the electrical signal analysis component being programmed to:a) transform the received ECG information into a second lead system, preferably the EASI lead system, and from the second lead system back to the first lead system;b) compare the received ECG information and the transformed back ECG information to determine a deviation therebetween;c) alter the ECG information to simulate a first pair of the leads being reversed;d) transform the altered ECG information into the second lead system and from the second lead system back to the first lead system;e) compare the altered ECG information with the transformed back ECG information to determine a deviation therebetween;f) repeat steps (c)-(e) to simulate each of a plurality of difference pairs of leads being reversed;g) analyze the deviations to determine if the received ECG information deviation is the smallest; andh) if the deviation for the received ECG information is not the smallest, indicate that leads have been misplaced.

23. The ECG system as set forth in claim 22, wherein the electrical signal analysis component further is programmed to: output the one of the received and altered ECG information with the smallest deviation.