A robust procedure for P-wave detection and segmentation in high resolution 12-lead ECG

Abstract

Reliable detection and measurement of the P-wave duration and position in high resolution 12-lead ECG recordings, was automated by means of a computer procedure which involved noise reduction by means of signal averaging, and bi-directional filtering of the P-wave at 25 Hz and the QRS complex at 40 Hz Then, algorithms for P-onset, P-offset and QRS-onset detection, allowed the estimation of P-wave duration and PQ interval, This computer procedure was clinically tested with 52 volunteers. The results indicated that, although reliable P-wave detection was possible in at least three leads in ally case, the measurement technique was most robust with leads I, II and V/sub 4/.