Session S43.4

A Smart Phone Based Telemedicine System for Recording Limited Lead Body Surface Potential Maps

DD Finlay*, CD Nugent, CJ Breen

University of Ulster
Belfast, UK

Body surface potential maps (BSPM) are usually recorded from anything up to 200 recording sites. Strategies have been proposed for estimating BSPMs from a reduced number of recording sites. Systems using as few as ten recording sites have been proposed for estimating 192 lead BSPMs. In this paper we describe the development of a limited lead BSPM system that is based around a 12-lead ECG acquisition unit and a smart phone. We repositioned the six precordial leads to allow for better information capture and hence more accurate reconstruction of BSPMs. The new lead positions are chosen using a data mining based lead selection algorithm. In order to allow consistent placement of recording electrodes a clinical physiologist reviewed the lead locations chosen by the selection algorithm and suggested slight amendments in favour of good anatomical landmarks. As a further practical consideration recording sites were limited to the anterior surface. We have developed two specific lead sets, one optimized for QRS monitoring and one optimized for ST segment monitoring. The 12-lead ECG device used is a commercially available system which is designed to capture the 12-lead ECG and transmit it via Bluetooth to a standard personal computer. The personal computer can then be used to store, display or print the recorded ECG. For our purpose we have replaced the personal computer with a windows mobile based smart phone. To achieve this software has been developed that allows the smart phone to capture the information from the 12-lead ECG device and store it on a removable solid state memory card. There is also the possibility to transmit the recorded data from the smart phone, via the internet, to an electronic patient record system. The software was developed using Visual Basic .Net and is designed to run on any device supporting the .Net Compact Framework. In this study we have developed a portable system that allows the reconstruction of BSPMs from a limited number of electrocardiographic leads. Further work is required to refine the developed software to support standards such as SCP-ECG.

(Abstract Control Number: 246)