Title: Wavelet-based compression of ECG signals

Authors: R.K. Kanhe; S.T. Hamde

Addresses: Department of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering, Maharashtra Institute of Technology, Satara, Aurangabad 431028, Maharashtra, India ' Department of Instrumentation Engineering, SGGS Institute of Engineering and Technology, Vishnupuri, Nanded 431606, Maharashtra, India

Abstract: Compression of digital Electrocardiogram (ECG) signals is desirable for two reasons: economic use of storage space for databases and reduction of the data for transmission on telephone lines. This paper deals with wavelet-based compression method. This method of ECG data compression leads to substantial amount of ECG reduction with less amount of the data loss. The wavelet functions can be used to decompose the ECG signal and upon reconstruction, the signal can be presented without loss of signal morphology. The analysis and synthesis filters play a very important role in this process. The analysis filter decomposes the signal using a pair of low-pass and high-pass filters, whereas the synthesis filter reconstructs the decomposed part. There is a faithful reconstruction on applying the synthesis filter to the ECG signal which is acceptable to the cardiologists. The performance parameters can support the technique of data compression. It is observed that even for higher Compression Ratio (CR) fidelity can be maintained and is verified by Cross-Correlation Coefficient (CCC).

Keywords: wavelets; morphology; ECG reduction; compression ratio fidelity; electrocardiograms; ECG signals; ECG data compression; synthesis filter; analysis filter; cardiology.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBET.2014.060536

International Journal of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, 2014 Vol.14 No.4, pp.297 - 314

Received: 19 Jul 2013
Accepted: 23 Jan 2014
Published online: 21 Oct 2014 *

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