Case study of ECG signal used as a reference signal in optical pulse transit time measurement of blood flow - The effect of different electrode placements on pulse transit time

摘要

The electrocardiography (ECG) signal is often used as a reference signal when calculating pulse transit times (PTT) measured by photoplethysmographic (PPG) sensors. In addition, ECG measurements are widely used in clinical health monitoring. In clinical measurements, small changes in the time delays of R waves in relation to blood flow pulsations between each ECG measurement are not relevant. In most cases, they would not even be observed, due to the rather low sampling rates used in clinical ECG devices. However, in PTT measurements, where time delays are measured with an accuracy of milliseconds, the placement of ECG electrodes can have a distinct effect on the results. This paper presents case studies of ECG signals measured simultaneously and independently by two ECG devices. We explore what effect different placements of ECG electrodes have on the R wave of the QRS complex and how it should be taken into account when used as a reference signal in pulse transit time measurements of blood flow. Additionally, we study what kind of ECG electrode placements are most suitable for PTT measurements.