ECG Analysis Neural Network Brugada Syndrome Detection

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current electrocardiogram (ECG) analysis systems are inefficient in diagnosing Brugada Syndrome, as they often require expert interpretation and may not detect subtle abnormalities, leading to inconsistent and potentially unsafe diagnoses, especially since many patients show normal ECGs, and existing methods require dangerous drugs to induce ECG abnormalities for diagnosis.

Innovation Solution

A computer-implemented method that uses neural networks to analyze ECG traces by filtering out abnormal segments through principal component analysis and Hotelling T^2 statistic, generating representative traces without the need for drugs, thereby improving diagnostic accuracy and safety.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If expert interpretation is used for ECG analysis, then diagnostic accuracy may be improved, but reliability and consistency deteriorate due to limited access and human judgment variability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvediagnostic accuracyVSAvoiddiagnosis consistency
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical system of expert human interpretation with an automated computer-based analysis system that processes ECG traces. This substitution eliminates human judgment variability and limited access to experts, providing consistent and reliable diagnoses through automated algorithms while maintaining diagnostic accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Device complexity

If raw ECG traces are displayed for diagnosis, then simplicity is maintained, but measurement precision deteriorates as subtle abnormalities become undetectable

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem simplicityVSAvoidabnormality detection accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary processing of raw ECG traces before presentation to the user. It automatically identifies, filters, and selects diagnostically relevant trace segments, enhancing subtle abnormalities and preparing optimized visualizations. This preliminary action improves detectability of subtle patterns while maintaining interface simplicity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies parameter changes to ECG traces including filtering, scaling, and enhancement of specific waveform characteristics. By modifying trace parameters to highlight diagnostically relevant features and suppress noise, the system improves detection of subtle abnormalities without requiring complex user interaction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Measurement precision

If drug challenge tests are administered to unmask ECG abnormalities, then diagnostic accuracy improves, but harmful factors increase due to pro-arrhythmic effects

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvediagnostic accuracyVSAvoidpro-arrhythmic risk
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary computer-based analysis system that detects subtle ECG abnormalities without requiring drug administration. This intermediary system uses advanced signal processing and pattern recognition to identify diagnostic patterns in baseline ECG traces, eliminating the need for harmful drug challenge tests while maintaining diagnostic accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Measurement precision

If multiple ECG trace segments are analyzed, then measurement precision improves, but device complexity increases due to processing requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefeature detection accuracyVSAvoidprocessing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments ECG traces into multiple discrete segments for individual analysis. By dividing the continuous ECG signal into manageable segments, the system can apply sophisticated processing to each segment while maintaining overall computational efficiency. This segmentation enables precise feature detection without overwhelming processing complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system analyzes multiple ECG trace segments, performing more analysis than a single trace would provide. By processing multiple segments and synthesizing results, the system achieves superior diagnostic accuracy through cumulative information while managing complexity through efficient algorithms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP3893246B1Electrocardiogram analysis
Publication Date: 2022.05.04 J WAVE DIAGNOSTICS SRL
  • EP3893246B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3893246B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3893246B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A computer-implemented method of facilitating electrocardiogram ("ECG") analysis involves receiving one or more sensed ECG traces for a patient, each of the sensed ECG traces representing sensed patient heart activity over a sensed time period, and, for each of the one or more sensed ECG traces: identifying a plurality of corresponding sensed ECG trace segments, each of the sensed ECG trace segments representing sensed patient heart activity for the patient over a segment of the sensed time period, and determining a representative ECG trace based on at least one of the identified corresponding sensed ECG trace segments. The method involves causing at least one neural network classifier to be applied to the one or more determined representative ECG traces to determine one or more diagnostically relevant scores related to at least one diagnosis of the patient. Other methods, systems, and computer readable media are disclosed.