Ultra-high-frequency ECG measurement

The aim of the present study is to introduce ultra-high-frequency and high-dynamic-range 12-lead ECG measurements using an electromagnetically shielded environment (Faraday cage) and a battery-powered ECG monitor with sampling of 25 kHz and 24-bit resolution. To demonstrate its diagnostic contribution we present the results of 14 subjects - 7 healthy volunteers and 7 ischemic patients during short 15-minute resting supine recordings. Both groups of subjects have the same width of the regular QRS complex with no ST-segment abnormalities. Wide-band power envelope analysis up to 1000 Hz was applied on each QRS complex region. Artifact-free QRS complexes from approximately 500 beats were averaged with the R-wave maximum from lead V2 as a trigger. The power envelopes consist of narrow and compact shapes in all leads in healthy young volunteers. In ischemic patients, there is a significant expansion and splitting of frequency components and differentiation in measured leads. In this study, we have shown the ability of ultra-high-frequency and high-dynamic-range ECG measurement to detect heart muscle pathology.