Cardiac Repolarization Instability Analysis for Sudden Cardiac Death Risk
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for predicting sudden cardiac death due to ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation are invasive, costly, and lack accuracy, failing to provide a non-invasive, easy, and cost-effective means for risk assessment.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the analysis of continuous surface electrocardiogram data to extract cardiac repolarization phase curves, categorize them based on length, and evaluate risk through graphical representations for instability, using wavelet decomposition and denoising to process the EKG signal and identify repolarization instability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If invasive electrophysiological study (EPS) is used for SCD prediction, then measurement precision is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates and device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces invasive mechanical/electrical procedures (EPS, catheter-based measurements) with non-invasive surface ECG signal analysis. The system processes standard 12-lead ECG recordings to extract repolarization curves and compute instability metrics, eliminating the need for invasive electrode placement while maintaining predictive accuracy for sudden cardiac death risk.
2Ease of operation
If current ICD implantation criteria (EF <30%, NYHA III-IV, QRS >120ms) are used, then ease of operation is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces new parameters for SCD risk assessment based on repolarization curve analysis. Specifically, it computes instability metrics from T-wave morphology and repolarization dynamics in ECG signals, providing more precise risk stratification beyond traditional parameters like ejection fraction and QRS duration. This enables better identification of patients who would benefit from ICD implantation.
3Measurement precision
If invasive procedures are performed for accurate SCD detection, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts critical diagnostic information (repolarization instability patterns) from standard surface ECG recordings, separating the essential risk assessment function from complex invasive procedures. By focusing on specific features of T-wave morphology and repolarization dynamics, the system achieves accurate SCD prediction using only non-invasive ECG data processing.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for predicting risk of sudden cardiac death through analysis of surface electrocardiographic data includes processing a continuous EKG signal received for a subject over a predetermined time period to identify and extract a plurality of cardiac repolarization phase curves from the EKG signal, assigning each of the cardiac repolarization phase curves into one of a plurality of groups based on a length of the cardiac repolarization phase curve, generating a respective graphical representation for each of the groups in which the cardiac repolarization phase curves assigned to the group are superimposed with one another in the respective graphical representation for the group, and evaluating the graphical representations to assess a risk of sudden cardiac death for the subject based on a classification of cardiac repolarization instability indicated by the graphical representations.