EX.

NO :1 RECORDING OF ECG SIGNAL USING ECG AMPLIFIER WITH

Date: SURFACE ELECTRODES

AIM:

To record ECG signals using surface electrodes to predict the heart rate R-Rinterval method.

APPARATUS REQUIRED:

Battery, ECG bio-amplifier, Low Pass Filter, ECG surface electrodes, Digital Oscilloscope,
connecting wires.

THEORY:

Electrocardiograph (ECG) is an instrument used to record electrical activity ofthe

heart over a period of time, as detected by electrodes attached to the surface of the skin and
recorded by a device external to the body. The recording produced by this noninvasive procedure
is termed an electrocardiogram.

Figure 2 Segments of ECG

Figure 1 Normal ECG waveform

Amplitude: Time period:
P wave – 0.25 mV PR interval – 0.12 – 0.22 sec
Q wave – 0.4 mV QT interval – 0.35 – 0.44 sec
R wave – 1.6 mV ST segment – 0.05 – 0.15 sec
T wave – 0.1 – 0.5 mV P wave interval – 0.11 sec
U wave - <0.1 mV QRS duration – 0.06 – 0.1 sec
An ECG is used to measure the rate and regularity of heartbeats, as well as the size and
position of the chambers, the presence of any damage to the heart, and the effects of drugs or
devices used to regulate the heart, such as a pacemaker.
ECG provides a wide range of cardiac disorders such as the presence of an inactive part
(infarct) or an enlargement (hypertrophy) of heart muscle. The ECG device detects and amplifies
the tiny electrical changes on the skin that are caused when the heart muscle depolarizes during
each heartbeat.

The diagnostically useful frequency range is usually 0.05 too 150Hz. The interference of
non-biological noises can be handled by using modern differential amplifiers, which are capable
of providing excellent rejection capabilities. Common Mode Rejection Ratio of the order of 100-
120db with 5KΩ unbalance in the leads is a desirable feature of ECG machines. It is necessary to
use a notch filter tuned to 50Hz to reject hum due to power mains.

LEADS:

The term "lead" in electrocardiography refers to the electrical cable attachingthe

electrodes to the ECG recorder. These leads are placed according to a practical system of
electrocardiography used in medical diagnostics known as Einthoven’s Triangle.

Einthoven’s Triangle is an equilateral triangle whose vertices lie at the left and right
shoulders and the pubic region and whose center corresponds to the vector sum of all electric
activity occurring in the heart at any given moment, allowing for the determination of the electrical
axis. Einthoven's triangle is approximated by the triangle formed by the axes of the bipolar
electrocardiographic (ECG) limb leads I, II, and III.
 There are three different configurations of leads that are used to record ECG signals. They
are:

1. Limb leads
2. Precordial leads
3. Augmented limb leads

LIMB LEADS:

Leads I, II and III are called limb leads. The electrodes that form these signals are located on
the limbs—one on each arm and one on the left leg. The limb leads form the points of what is
known as Einthoven's triangle.

Lead I is the voltage between the (positive) left arm (LA) electrode and right arm (RA) electrode:

Lead II is the voltage between the (positive) left leg (LL) electrode and the right arm (RA)
electrode:

Lead III is the voltage between the (positive) left leg (LL) electrode and the left arm (LA)
electrode:
AUGMENTED LIMB LEADS:
Leads aVR, aVL, and aVF are augmented limb leads. They are derived from the same three
electrodes as leads I, II, and III. However, they view the heart from different angles (or vectors)
because the negative electrode for these leads is a modification of Einthoven's central terminal.
Wilson Einthoven's central terminal paved the way for the development of the augmented limb
leads aVR, aVL, aVF and the precordial leads V1, V2, V3, V4, V5 and V6.

Lead augmented vector right (aVR) has the positive electrode (white) on the right arm. The
negative electrode is a combination of the left arm (black) electrode and the left leg (red)
electrode, which "augments" the signal strength of the positive electrode on the right arm.

Lead augmented vector left (aVL) has the positive (black) electrode on the left arm. The
negative electrode is a combination of the right arm (white) electrode and the left leg (red)
electrode, which "augments" the signal strength of the positive electrode on the left arm.
Lead augmented vector foot (aVF) has the positive (red) electrode on the left leg. The negative
electrode is a combination of the right arm (white) electrode and the left arm (black)electrode,
which "augments" the signal of the positive electrode on the left leg.
PRECORDIAL LEADS:

The electrodes for the precordial leads (V1, V2, V3, V4, V5 and V6) are placed directly on
the chest. Because of their close proximity to the heart, they do not require augmentation. Wilson's
central terminal is used for the negative electrode, and these leads are considered to be unipolar.
The precordial leads view the heart's electrical activity in the so-called horizontal plane.The heart's
electrical axis in the horizontal plane is referred to as the Z axis.
PLACEMENT OF ELECTRODES:

Electrode label (in Electrode

theUSA) placement
RA On the right arm, avoiding thick muscle.
LA In the same location where RA was placed, but on the left arm.
RL On the right leg, lateral calf muscle.
LL In the same location where RL was placed, but on the left leg.
V1 In the fourth intercostal space (between ribs 4 and 5) just to the right
ofthe sternum (breastbone).
V2 In the fourth intercostal space (between ribs 4 and 5) just to the left
ofthe sternum.
V3 Between leads V2 and V4.
V4 In the fifth intercostal space (between ribs 5 and 6) in the mid-
clavicularline.
V5 Horizontally even with V4, in the left anterior axillary line.
V6 Horizontally even with V4 and V5 in the mid-axillary

BLOCK DIAGRAM:

Power Supply

LA ECG
RA Amplifier High Pass Filter &
Low Pass Filter
RL

Amplifier

Notch Filter

Gain Amplifier

Digital
Oscilloscope
MODEL GRAPH:

PLACEMENT OF ELECTRODES:

▪ Black- Right leg.

▪ Yellow- Left arm.
▪ Red- Right arm.

PROCEDURE:
1. Connect the modules as per the block diagram.
2. Connect the three electrodes (distinguished by colour coding) to the subject
using conductivegel.
3. Switch ON the equipment.
4. The signal is passed to the QRS filter.
5. The time period is set to 0.1 ms and amplitude knob is placed at 1mV.
6. The ECG signal is viewed in the DSO
7. It is stopped by pressing RUN/STOP button.
8. The R-R interval is calculated.

CALCULATION:

R – R interval = t = ____________________

Heart Rate = 60/t (Beats /min)\

Inference:

RESULT:

Thus, a real-time ECG signal is acquired and heart rate is calculated.

HR= bpm