title: Improved Heart Sound Detection and Signal-to-Noise Estimation Using a Low-Mass Sensor.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this paper is to improve the detection of high-frequency sounds from the heart for better identification of turbulent blood flow in partially occluded coronary arteries. This paper also describes a method for the quantitative assessment of data quality.
  
  
  METHODS
  A very light-weight dual accelerometer has been developed that places a small mechanical load on the chest. When used in conjunction with a novel correlation-based analysis, this dual-signal transducer provides an estimate to the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the acoustic signal.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The new transducer has significantly better SNR properties than the traditional cardiac microphones. This improvement is due to increased sensitivity to high-frequency signals not a reduction in noise and is likely the result of reduced mechanical loading on the chest.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Substantial improvement in the detection of high-frequency heart sounds is possible as is quantitative assessment of data quality.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The new transducer and analysis will lead to substantial improvements in the acoustic detection of partially occluded arteries associated with coronary artery disease. It is finally possible to obtain a measurement of the quality of heart sound signals as they are being recorded.
authors: John L
authors: JL
authors: Semmlow
mesh_terms: D061725:Accelerometry / Q000295:instrumentation*; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003935:Diagnostic Techniques, Cardiovascular / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004867:Equipment Design; D006321:Heart / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006347:Heart Sounds / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation*; D059629:Signal-To-Noise Ratio; D014159:Transducers