title: Time-frequency structure of the high-resolution ECG.
abstract: This study considers the problem of representing high-resolution ECG (HRECG) signals in the time-frequency plane using spectrotemporal mapping (STM). High-resolution ECG signal components overlap in both time and frequency. The central issue with STM techniques is whether sufficient time-frequency resolution exists to discriminate normal and abnormal QRS signals. The trade-off between signal resolution in time and in frequency must be made without a priori knowledge of the HRECG's time-frequency structure. A simulation experiment was performed to examine the time-frequency distribution of normal, abnormal low-level (late potentials), and bundle branch block components of the QRS. Results suggest that discrimination of these signals with STM is problematic. Signals and noise within the HRECG ensemble can, however, be easily distinguished. This observation forms the basis of a new optimally filtered ensemble averaging technique for signal-to-noise ratio enhancement.
authors.affiliation: University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Department of Medicine, Oklahoma City.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lander
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Berbari
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lazzara
mesh_terms: D004562:Electrocardiography; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted