Use of intelligent agents to include signal analysis data

Signal analysis data, especially electrocardiogram (ECG) and electroencephalogram (EEG) data, provide important information for clinical decision-making. In order to arrive at a diagnosis, it is often necessary to combine these results with other clinical parameters. Problems remain in the automation of this process for the development of computer-assisted diagnosis tools. A promising approach includes the use of intelligent agents, a procedure that involves the development of a central mechanism to provide communications among differing methodologies and different information types to provide a comprehensive solution to the problem. This methodology is illustrated in a decision model for diagnosis of dementia emphasizing the inclusion of summary measures for EEG data.