Fundamentals of Biomedical Engineering

(18BMO121T)

Open Elective subject for ECE

C Aravindan
Assistant Professor
Dept. of ECE, SRMIST,
 UNIT-1
BIOMEDICAL
RECORDERS
ECG –
Electro-Cardio-gram
Unit:2_Session-1_SLO-1
 ECG – Electro-Cardio-
gram
• The electrocardiograph (ECG) is an instrument, which records
the electrical activity of the heart.
• Electrical signals from the heart precede the normal mechanical
function and monitoring the signals.
• ECG provides valuable information about a wide range of
cardiac disorders such as
• the presence of an inactive part (infarction) or an enlargement (cardiac
hypertrophy) of the heart muscle.
 ECG – Electro-Cardio-
gram
• Electrocardiographs are used in catheterization laboratories,
coronary care units and for routine diagnostic applications in
cardiology.
• Electric field generated by the heart can be characterized by
vector quantities.
• It is convenient to directly measure only scalar quantities, i.e. a
voltage difference of mV order between the given points of the
body.
 ECG – Electro-Cardio-
gram
• Frequency range is 0.05 to 150 Hz.
• A good low frequency response is essential to ensure stability
of the baseline.
• High frequency response is a compromise of several factors like
isolation between a useful ECG signal from other signals of
biological origin and limitations of the direct writing pen
recorders due to mass, inertia and friction.
 ECG – Electro-Cardio-
gram
• The interference of non-biological origin can be handled by
using modern differential amplifiers, which are capable of
providing excellent rejection capabilities.
• CMRR of the order of 100–120 dB with 5 kW unbalance in the
leads is a desirable feature of ECG machines.
• A notch filter tuned to 50 Hz to reject hum due to power mains.
 BLOCK DIAGRAM OF AN
ELECTROCARDIOGRAPH MACHINE
Unit:2_Session-1_SLO-2
BLOCK DIAGRAM OF ECG
MACHINE
 BLOCK DIAGRAM OF ECG
MACHINE
• The potentials picked up by the patient electrodes are taken to
the lead selector switch.
• In the lead selector, the electrodes are selected two by two
according to the lead program.
• By means of capacitive coupling, the signal is connected
symmetrically to the long-tail pair differential preamplifier.
• The preamplifier is usually a three or four stage differential
amplifier having a sufficiently large negative current feedback,
from the end stage to the first stage, which gives a stabilizing
effect.
 BLOCK DIAGRAM OF ECG
MACHINE
• The amplified output signal is picked up single-ended and is
given to the power amplifier.
• The power amplifier is a push-pull differential type.
• The base of one input transistor of this amplifier is driven by the
preamplified unsymmetrical signal.
• The base of the other transistor is driven by the feedback signal
resulting from the pen position and connected via frequency
selective network.
 BLOCK DIAGRAM OF ECG
MACHINE
• Frequency selective network is an R–C network, which provides
necessary damping of the pen motor.
• The auxiliary circuits provide a 1 mV calibration signal and
automatic blocking of the amplifier during a change in the
position of the lead switch.
• It may include a speed control circuit for the chart drive motor.
 BLOCK DIAGRAM OF ECG
MACHINE
• In ‘stand by’ mode of operation, the stylus moves in response to
input signals, but the paper is stationary. This mode allows the
operator to adjust the gain and baseline position controls
without wasting paper.
• Electrocardiograms records on graph paper with horizontal and
vertical lines at 1 mm intervals with a thicker line at 5 mm
intervals.
• Time measurements and heart rate measurements are made
horizontally on the electrocardiogram.
 BLOCK DIAGRAM OF ECG
MACHINE
• For routine work, the paper recording speed is 25 mm/s.
• Amplitude measurements are made vertically in millivolts.
• The sensitivity of an electrocardiograph is typically set at 10
mm/mV.
The ECG LEADs
Session: 2_SLO-2
 Composition of ECG Signal

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYZ4daFwMa8
 ECG LEAD’s
• Two electrodes placed over
different areas of the heart will pick
up the electrical currents resulting
from the potential difference
between them.
• For example, if under one electrode
a wave of 1 mV and under the
second electrode a wave of 0.2 mV
occur at the same time, then the
two electrodes will record the
 The voltage difference at difference between them, i.e. a
any two sites due to electrical
wave of 0.8 mV.
activity of the heart is called a “LEAD”
 ECG LEAD’s
 Surface electrodes are used with jelly as
electrolyte between skin and electrodes.
 The potentials generated in the heart are
conducted to the body surface.
 The potential distribution changes in a
regular and complex manner during each
cardiac cycle.
 To record ECG we must choose standardized
electrode positions.
 ECG 12 LEAD Configuration
There are three types of electrode systems:
1. Bipolar limb leads : 3 leads
2. Augmented unipolar leads : 3 leads
3. Chest leads / precordial leads : 6 leads
Total leads : 12 leads
 BIPOLAR LIMB LEADS
Leads used:
• ECG is recorded by using two electrodes corresponds to the difference
of electrical potentials.
• Each of the leads are bipolar; i.e., it requires two sensors on the skin
to make a lead.
• If one connects a line between two sensors, one has a vector.
• There will be a positive end at one electrode and negative at the other.
• The positioning for leads I, II, and III were first given by Einthoven.
 BIPOLAR LIMB LEADS

• Lead I:
the electrodes are placed on the right and the left arm (RA and LA).
• Lead II:
the electrodes are placed on the right arm and the left leg
• Lead III:
they are placed on the left arm and the left leg.
• In all lead connections, the difference of potential measured between
two electrodes is always with reference to a third point on the body. This
reference point is conventionally taken as the “right leg”.
 BIPOLAR LIMB
LEADS
• Bipolar leads record
voltage between electrodes
placed on wrists & legs
(right leg is ground)
• Lead I: (RA->LA)
• Lead II: (RA->LL)
• Lead III: (LA->LL)
 BIPOLAR LIMB LEADS

• Einthoven postulated that at any given instant of the cardiac cycle, the
electrical axis of the heart can be represented as a two dimensional
vector. The triangle, known as the “Einthoven triangle”.
• The sides of the triangle represent the lines along which the three
projections of the ECG vector are measured.
 BIPOLAR LIMB LEADS
• The instantaneous voltage measured from any one of the three
limb lead positions is approximately equal to the algebraic sum
of the other two.
• The vector sum of the projections on all three lines is equal to
zero.
• In all the bipolar lead positions, QRS of a normal heart is such
that the R wave is positive and is greatest in lead II.
 BIPOLAR LIMB LEADS

(RA-
>LA)
0.53 mV | 0.07 to 1.13 sec

(RA-
>LL)
0.71 mV | 0.18 to 1.68 sec

(LA->LL)

0.38 mV | 0.03 to 1.31 sec

II = I + III
BIPOLAR LIMB LEADS
AUGMENTED UNIPOLAR LIMB LEADS
• Introduced by Wilson
• ECG is recorded between a single EXPLORATORY ELECTRODE and the
CENTRAL terminal.
• Two equal and large resistors are connected to a pair of limb
electrodes and center acts a central terminal.
1. aVR-augmented Voltage Right
2. aVL-augmented Voltage left augmented leads or ‘averaging leads’

3. aVF-augmented Voltage Foot

• aVR lead: two of the limb leads are tied together and recorded with
respect to the third limb. The right arm is recorded with respect to a
reference established by joining the left arm and left leg electrodes.
• aVL lead: the left arm is recorded with respect to the common
junction of the right arm and left leg.
• aVF lead: the left leg is recorded with respect to the two arm
electrodes tied together.
 ECG measurement: Goldberger (left) and Einthoven (right)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HK1NHr0JcqQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKlfPWjXALE
 CHEST - UNIPOLAR LIMB LEADS
• The exploratory electrode is obtained from one of the chest electrodes.
• The chest electrodes are placed on the six different points
1. V1-4th intercostal space at right sternal margin

2. V2-4th intercostal space at left sternal margin

3. V3- midway between V1 & V2

4. V5-5th intercostal space at mid-clavicular line

5. Same as V4 on anterior axillary line

6. Same as V4 on mid- axillary line

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rt4kjD4z8vM
12 (and beyond) Lead ECG
ECG - applications

● Diagnostics
● Functional analysis
● Implants (pace maker)
● Biofeedback (Heartrate variability, HRV)
● Peak Performacne Training, Monitoring