Self-organizing QRS-wave recognition in ECG using neural networks

The author has developed a self-organizing QRS-wave recognition system for electrocardiograms (ECGs) using neural networks. An ART2 (adaptive resonance theory) network was employed in this self-organizing neural-network system. The system consists of a preprocessor, an ART2, network, and a recognizer. The preprocessor detects R points in the ECG and divides the ECG into cardiac cycles. A QRS-wave is the part of the ECG that is between a Q point and an S point. The input to the ART2 network is one cardiac cycle from which the ART2 network indicates the approximate locations of both the Q and S points. The recognizer establishes search regions for the Q and S points. Then, it locates the Q and S points in each search region. The system uses this method to recognize a QRS-wave. Then, the ART2 network learns the new QRS-wave pattern from the incoming ECG. The ART2 network self-organizes in response to the input ECG. The average recognition error of the present system is less than 1 ms in the recognition of the Q and S points