Multimedia personal computer based phonocardiography

Abstract

Although the phonocardiogram presents heart sounds and murmurs most precisely and it can offer clinically useful information, its usage as diagnostic tool is nowadays quite uncommon. One possible reason can be that auscultation findings are not recorded as sounds, and so they cannot be listened to again. Multimedia personal computer equipped with a handheld electronic stethoscope can be used to register and analyse the heart sounds. Over 60 dB signal dynamics can be achieved with careful hardware selections.