Device for monitoring measurement electrodes devised for measurement of physiological signals

Abstract: In a device for monitoring measurement electrodes (R, L, F), attached to a patient (2) in order to pick up physiological measurement signals, and a neutral electrode (N) and associated leads at the same time as physiological measurement signals are picked up, each measurement electrode is connected to an input terminal on its associated measurement amplifier (4, 6, 8). A test signal generator (10) is arranged to generate a pure AC signal, without any direct current component, across the neutral electrode attached to a patient during the pickup of measurement signals.

Description: Device for monitoring measurement electrodes, devised for picking up physiological measurement signals, and their leads The present invention relates to a device for monitoring one or a plurality of measurement electrodes and a neutral electrode, attached to a patient for recording physiological measurement signals, and their leads while the said measurement signals are being picked up, each measurement electrode being connected to one input socket of an associated measurement amplifier. In "ECG Electrodes: A Study of Electrical and Mechanical Long-Term Properties", Acta anaesth. Scand. 1979, 23, pp. 189-206, P. Ask et al. describe the measurement of electrode impedances in order to check the quality and adhesion to skin of ECG electrodes. Sinusoidal currents at different frequencies are applied to a pair of ECG electrodes, connected in series, and a reference resistance. Individual electrode impedances are determined from the amplitudes and phases of the ensuing applied voltage and the voltage measured across the resistance. US,A 4, 658 831, US,A 4 917 099 and US,A 4 993 423 describe methods for detecting lead-off, wherein alternating current at one or more frequencies is applied to the measurement electrodes, and the ensuring voltages are measured. US,A 4 919 145 and US,A 5 020 541 further describe the monitoring of the impedance of ECG electrodes and their leads with the use of two phase-shifted carrier wave signals. These methods fail to supply any absolute value for the individual electrode impedances. Instead, a value is obtained which depends (sum or difference) on the impedances of a plurality of ECG electrodes, and the impedance of the neutral electrode is not measured. Nor is it possible to detect when a specific ECG electrode is in the process of becoming detached. The use of current at different frequencies further leads to an additional measurement difficulty, since electrode impedance varies with frequency. The use of direct current for detection of lead-off in e.g. electrocardiography is also previously known. Contact impedance increases if a measurement electrode starts to detach from the patient. Here, an increase in DC potential across the electrode impedance can be achieved with an appropriately arranged resistor. When the potential exceeds a given value, the electrode is no longer viewed as being connected, i.e. lead-off. However, use of direct current for this detection has shortcomings, since electrode impedance is not purely resistive. There is some degree of polarization which is differs for different types of electrodes. The potential caused by the polarization cannot be distinguished from the potential caused by the detection current through the electrode, so the impedance required to enable detection of any disconnected electrode varies greatly with different types of electrodes. Another shortcoming is the circumstance that impedance varies whenever the patient moves, voltage across the electrode being modulated in step with the movements, thereby causing noise at about 1 Hz. These baseline variations are hard to filter out of the ECG without affecting the ECG signal. If possible, non-polarized electrodes, i.e. electrodes with very limited DC offset caused by polarization, are used to avoid baseline variations. The shortcoming here is the need to add a DC potential merely to detect whether or not the electrode is connected. Reliable monitoring of measurement electrodes attached to the patient is important, so a warning is issued before the electrode falls off. Electrode impedance increases when the electrode paste starts drying or the electrode begins to detach, thereby distorting the measurement by increasing noise. The measurement signal can also be damped when electrode impedances are very high, possibly causing a faulty diagnosis. Thus, there are e.g. instructions for ensuring a correct absolute value for e.g. ECG signal. Inaccuracies in electrodes leads can cause similar errors. DE,A1,41 06 857 describes a device for processing physiological measurement signals, whereby a pulse is delivered to the patient's body via an additional electrode which, via the body's impedance, is electrically connected to measurement electrodes attached to the patient. The measurement electrodes' contact with the patient's body can be checked by studying the measurement electrodes' response to the pulse. However, this check on measurement electrodes and their leads is only performed when enabled by the operator, i.e. when she/he presses a button. For continuous monitoring of the electrodes, this function must be supplemented with another method, e.g. the aforementioned DC monitoring. The object of the present invention is to achieve a device which makes possible monitoring of measurement electrodes and a neutral electrode attached to a patient, plus associated leads, at the same time as physiological measurement signals are being recorded, thereby eliminating the aforementioned shortcomings of the prior art. This object is achieved with a device of the initially described kind with the features set forth in patent claim 1. Thus, a device according to the invention utilizes the reference or neutral electrode attached to the patient for delivering a continuous, pure AC signal without any direct current component. This permits continuous monitoring of the measurement electrodes and their contact with the patient during recording, and the problems with DC charging of the electrodes is avoided. In addition to reducing baseline drift problems, reduced electrode charging makes possible the use of cheaper electrodes without DC offset causing over-modulation of the amplifier. With the device according to the invention, measurement of electrode impedance is also performed without any reduction in input impedance to the following measurement amplifier. This is important, since reduced input impedance would degrade the ECG signal. In normal, fault-free operation, the test signal causes signals of equal magnitude to appear on all amplifier input terminals, and these signals disappear when subtracted from each other in derivation formation. If an electrode is poorly attached, however, its electrode impedance will be high, and the signal generated by the test signal on the relevant measurement amplifier input terminal will then be smaller because of voltage division between electrode impedance and amplifier input impedance, and a residual signal from the test signal will remain after difference determination according to the above to indicate that an electrode is poorly attached. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that switching means may be connected to the test signal generator's output terminal in order to switch the test signal, in an optional manner, between the said neutral electrode and one of the measurement amplifiers' input terminals. The device can therefore even be used for calibrating the measurement amplifiers. This calibration is performed at some suitable point in time, e.g. in conjunction with device startup. Thus, the test signal is switched with the switching means to the measurement amplifiers' input terminals without first passing the patient. Amplitude is measured for the different channels and gain adjusted so all channels have the same amplitude. Absolute accuracy is limited by the accuracy of the test signal, whereas relative accuracy can be greater. Here, measuring the entire frequency range and calibrating same are also possible. Calibrating the amplifiers is important to common mode suppression, and the relationship between them is important to the removal of noise, AC line hum in particular. Calibrating the amplifiers is also important to attainment of a correct magnitude for the ECG signal, since the measured absolute value is of importance. It will be further appreciated that it is useful if the frequency of the test signal generator lies above the frequency range relevant to the ECG signal, preferably above 250 Hz. The device according to the invention operates to advantage digitally with a sampling rate of e.g. 1 kHz. A faster sampling rate is employed for the actual measurement, and down-sampling is performed after derivation formation. This normally causes the test signal to disappear. It should also be noted that electrode impedance is frequency-related with a lower impedance at a higher frequency. To explain the invention, exemplifying embodiments of the device according to the invention will now be described in greater detail, referring to attached drawings in which FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 show two different embodiments of the device according to the invention; FIG. 3 illustrates the calculation of the transfer function in a circuit loop in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2; FIG. 4 shows the loop in FIG. 3 with input impedances, and FIGS. 6 and 8 show additional embodiments of the device according to the invention. FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of a device, according to the invention, for continuous monitoring of measurement electrodes, attached to a patient 2 for recording physiological measurement signals, i.e. R (right arm), L (left arm), F (foot) and their leads. Each measurement electrode R, L, F is connected to one of the input terminals on its associated measurement amplifier 4, 6 and 8 respectively. The other input terminals of the other measurement amplifiers 4, 6, 8 are connected to a common reference potential. The physiological signals to be measured are e.g. ECG signals. A test signal generator 10 sends a test signal, in the form of a continuous, pure alternating current signal without any direct current component, to the neutral electrode N via a noise suppression amplifier 12 and switching means in the form of a multiplexor 14. The noise suppression amplifier 12 is connected, via a unit 9, to the output terminal or terminals of one or a plurality of the measurement amplifiers 4, 6, 8. The contact impedances of the electrodes R, L, F, N and the impedance of associated leads are represented in FIG. 1 by the impedances Z el , and input impedances are represented by Z in . In FIG. 1, C1, C2, C3 and C4 represent other ECG electrodes for application to e.g. the chest. Since all electrodes attached to the patient's body are electrically interconnected by the body's impedance, the signal applied via the neutral electrode N will give rise to a response signal in each of the measurement channels R, L and F, said signals being continuously measured at the same time as ECG recording. The task of the neutral electrode N is to ensure that the measurement amplifier's floating ground has the same potential as the patient 2. The patient's potential, which must be floating for safety reasons, is determined by stray capacitances to the surroundings, especially ground and nearby power cables. The entire floating amplifier system also has stray capacitances to ground and line voltage. The relationship between these capacitances is normally not the same for the patient and amplifiers, so a potential difference exists between the patient and amplifiers. The neutral electrode eliminates this difference. A hum current will then pass through the neutral electrode, and a voltage drop will then develop because of the neutral electrode's impedance. If the neutral electrode is directly connected to floating ground, this voltage drop will be detected as a voltage between the patient and the amplifiers' ground. In an effort to reduce this voltage, the signal is fed from a measurement electrode, via a noise suppression amplifier, back to the patient via the neutral electrode. See the figures. The voltage gradient between the patient and amplifier ground will then drop by the gain in the feedback loop. The noise suppression amplifier, which is part of this feedback loop, is used in the device according to the invention as the test signal amplifier 12 in order to apply the test signal, with which electrode impedances are measured, to the patient 2. Since impedance in the body are normally on the order of 100 Ω, whereas electrode impedance is normally on the order of 10-100 kΩ, impedance in the body is therefore negligible compared to electrode impedance, and the test signal's response signals will accordingly be essentially the same on all amplifier input terminals. When derivations are formed between two electrodes, the test signal's response signal will therefore be eliminated by subtraction removal. If, however, an electrode is e.g. poorly attached, electrode impedance will be much higher, i.e. on MΩ levels, and there is a voltage division between electrode impedance Z el and the amplifier's input impedance Z in in the channel in question. The test signal's response signal (like the ECG signal) will then be smaller, a residue of the test signal's response signal remaining after lead formation between two electrodes with differing impedances, e.g. because one electrode has become detached or is in the process of becoming detached. Faults in electrode leads produce similar results. In certain instances, measuring the amplitude of the test signal's response signal at the measurement amplifiers' 4, 6, 8 output terminals before derivation formation may be preferable. When imbalance develops in electrode impedances because of faulty electrode contact or faulty electrode leads, the test signal's residual response signal can be left if sufficiently small, or it can be eliminated by subtraction or filtration. Removal of the residual signal by subtraction can be performed with an appropriate subtraction signal generated by the test signal generator. Output signals from the measurement amplifiers' 4, 6, 8 output terminals are appropriately sent to an A/D converter for subsequent digital signal processing (not described here). The residual response signal persisting when there is imbalance in the electrode impedances Z el disappears here if the frequency is appropriate. If the test signal has a frequency of e.g. 1 kHz, it will disappear in down-sampling to 1 k sps. The original sampling rate must have been faster for the test signal to be measured in digital form. The ability to remove the test signal's response signal from measurement signals is a requirement for performing continuous test measurements. The test performed with the device according to the invention is a relatively rough test supplying a warning when the contact paste or electrode glue has dried out and the electrode has become detached, or is in the processing of becoming detached, before the electrode drops off or a when a fault has developed in leads. Erroneous diagnoses caused by a damping of the ECG signal by high impedance in the electrode used for measurement is thereby avoided with the device according to the invention. No direct current nor any special test pulse need to be used for detection of lead-off. This reduces charging of the electrodes with less baseline variation as a result. Reduced charging of the electrodes also makes possible the use of cheaper electrodes without amplifier over-modulation caused by DC offset. So narrower amplifier dynamics are needed than in the use of direct current. The impedance measurement required for electrode monitoring is performed with the device, according to the invention, without any drop in input impedance to the measurement amplifiers which would degrade the ECG signal. The device according to the invention can also be used for calibrating the measurement amplifiers 4, 6, 8, including the following A/D converter (not shown). The test signal is switched with the switching means 14, in the form of a number of switches, straight to one of the input terminals of the amplifiers 4, 6, 8 without passing the patient 2. The amplitude of the test signal is measured in the various measurement channels, and gain is calibrated so it is of equal magnitude in all channels. The absolute accuracy of calibration is governed by the accuracy of the test signal, but relative accuracy can be greater. The device according to the invention can also be used to measure the entire frequency range and calibrate same. Correct calibration of the amplifiers 4, 6, 8 is important to common mode suppression, and the relationship between the amplifiers 4, 6, 8 is important in eliminating noise, the greatest noise generally being AC line hum. FIG. 2 shows a circuit diagram of an alternative embodiment of the device according to the invention, wherein the corresponding components and units were assigned the same designation as in FIG. 1. Moreover, the relative magnitude of the signals is stated at different points in the diagram, for certain as examples selected amplifier gains of the amplifiers. In the embodiment according to FIG. 2, the test signal generator 10 is connected between the reference potential and the test signal - or one of the noise suppression amplifier's 3 input terminals, whereas the noise suppression amplifier's 12 other input terminal is connected to the output terminal of the measurement amplifier 8 in the F channel by a divider 16. There is also an output socket 18 and a signal amplifier 20 for measuring the signal at the noise suppression amplifier's 12 output terminal. The noise suppression amplifier 12 receives a common mode signal, whereupon the signal from the test signal generator 10 passes straight through the amplifier, represented by the number "1" on the amplifier output terminal. In this instance, the electrodes for the R and F channels are assumed to be correctly attached, so the test signal is found virtually unchanged on the input terminals of the measurement amplifiers 4 and 8, represented there by the number "1". In this embodiment, the amplifiers 4, 6, 8 have a gain equal to 4, so the magnitude of the test signal at the output terminal of the measurement amplifier 8 is "4". This signal is sent back to the noise suppression amplifier 12, via the divider 16, which divides the signal to the same extent as it is amplified in the measurement amplifier 8 so the test signal recovers its original magnitude, and the noise suppression amplifier 12 thereafter operates in the common mode. Thus, the amplifier 8 does not affect the test signal in normal instances. The output terminal on the measurement amplifier 4 accordingly receives a signal whose magnitude is "4". In the illustrated example, it is further assumed that the contact for the L channel has detached or is in the process of becoming detached, so electrode impedance Z el increases for this channel. As a result, the test signal will cause damping of the L channel. In this example, the signal has been damped so its strength at the input terminal on the measurement amplifier 6 amounts to "0.9". The output signal from the measurement amplifier 6 accordingly amounts to "3.6". Each of the measurement amplifiers 4, 6, 8 is accompanied by an additional amplifier 22, 24, 26 to produce the gain 32. Signals with the relative magnitudes "128", "115.2" and "128" are accordingly supplied at the output terminals of these amplifiers 22, 24, 26. The magnitude of these signals designate a fault in the L channel. However, determining whether the fault is caused by poor contact for the L electrode or the N (neutral) electrode is not possible, since both these electrodes are part of the loop traversed by the signal in question. FIG. 3 illustrates the loop, formed by the F channel and the N channel, for calculation of the transfer function for the test signal in the embodiment in FIG. 2. The test signal from the test signal generator 10 is designated U, the noise suppression amplifier 12 has the gain G N and the signal on the noise suppression amplifier's 12 output terminal is designated x. The gain of the measurement amplifier 8 is designated G A . The FIG. also contains some resistors which were left out of FIG. 2 for the sake of simplicity. With the aforementioned designations, the following applies: x = U - G N (x · G A - U) The following is obtained from this relationship: x = U · 1 + G N 1 + G N · G A This means that x = U if the measurement amplifier's 8 gain G A = 1. Thus, the divider 16, which divides the signal to the same extent as the measurement amplifier 8 amplifies it, serves as a damper in order to render gain equal to 1. In normal, fault-free cases, there is accordingly no impact on the test signal when it passes the noise suppression amplifier. FIG. 4 shows the same loop with the electrode impedances Z elF and Z elN which cause the dampings D F and D N respectively. If these dampings D F and D N are entered into the above equation, the following is obtained: x = U · 1 + G N 1 + G N · G F · D F · D N Thus, increased damping causes a reduction in the x/U ratio. FIG. 6 show another embodiment of the device according to the invention in which the test signal generator 10 is grounded, whereas gain is floating. The same designations were also used here for the same components and units as in previously described embodiments. In this instance, it is assumed that there is an electrode fault in the L channel in the same way as in the embodiment according to FIG . 2 . In the embodiment according to FIG. 6, the test signal normally has the same magnitude at both input channels on all the measurement amplifiers 4, 6, 8. The entire signal is then common mode, so it is not amplified, i.e. the amplifiers' common mode gain is equal to 1. As a result of the fault in the L channel, a difference arises between the measurement amplifier's 6 input terminals. This difference amounts to "0.1", the "normal" signal strength amounting to "1" in the same way as in FIG. 2. This "0.1"-difference is amplified in the measurement amplifier 6 whose gain is assumed to be equal to "4" , as was the case in FIG. 2. The output signal from the amplifier 6 therefore amounts to 1 - 0.4 = "0.6". Following amplifiers 22 and 26 in the fault-free channels R and F also receive a common mode signal, which is not amplified, whereas the ensuing difference between the amplifier's 24 input terminals (equal to 0.4) is amplified in this amplifier to "-12.8" by the assumed gain 32. The output signal from the amplifier 24 is negative because the signal at the amplifier's positive input terminal is smaller than the normal signal fed to the negative input channel. As is apparent, the magnitudes of the output signals are small, compared to the signals in the embodiment according to FIG. 2, at the same time as the fault in the L channel gives rise to a highly deviant signal. Since the output signals are relatively small, a large amplitude can be used for the test signal, making possible measurement of comparatively small impedances. Relatively sensitive fault detection is therefore achieved. As noted above, it is essential for the test signal, applied to the patient, to refer to the same potential as the measurement amplifiers' input impedances Z in for the applied test signal to be damped by the input impedance Z in . This means that the test signal generator must generate a test signal across the electrode impedance Z el and the input impedance Z in . FIG. 8 shows an embodiment of the device, according to the invention, making it possible to locate the fault with even greater accuracy and even to measure the impedance of individual electrodes. Here, the measurement signal can be applied in two different ways, and measurement is performed twice. The two measurements can either be made at two different times or simultaneously at two different frequencies. The measurement amplifiers are divided into two groups. The first group of measurement amplifiers 4, 6 are connected to the extremity electrodes R, L, and associated measurement signals are fed back to the noise suppression amplifier 12 as described above. The second group of measurement amplifiers 31...36, connected to the chest electrodes C1...C6, do not feed back the signal. All amplifier input terminals have an input impedance Z in coupled to a potential shared by the group, i.e. designated UFE for the first group and U FC for the second group. In the first measurement, the test signal generator's 10 output is switched with the switch 38 to point UFC, whereas point UFE and the noise suppression amplifier's 12 positive input terminal are switched with the switches 39 and 40 to the test generator's 10 zero reference 0 ref . Measurement currents to the patient 2 via the measurement electrodes are obtained from the equations (1) and (2) below I cx = U FC - V cx Z in I R = U FE - V R Z in in which I cx and I R designate current to the measurement electrode cx with the electrode impedance Z cx in FIG. 8 and current to the measurement electrode R with the electrode impedance Z R , V cx and V R designate the potential of the corresponding leads and Z in designates the input impedance of the associated measurement amplifier. For U FE =0, U FC set at 1 and Z in set at 10 Mohms (10M), the following is obtained: I cx = 1 - V cx 10M and I R = -V R 10M respectively. The sum of these currents IN IN = ΣI cx + I R + I L + I F is found on the neutral electrode N. If an approximation is made in which the patient's potential V body is not governed by the electrode impedances in the first group, the patient's potential V body can be obtained from the equation (4) below: V body = V N G N in which V N designates the potential of the lead to the neutral electrode N. For G N =-10, the following is obtained V body = - V N 10 From this value for V body , the impedances Z cx of the chest electrodes C1...C6 are obtained from the equation (5) below and the neutral electrode's N impedance Z N from the equation (6). Z cx = V cx - V body I cx = V cx + V N 10 I cx Z N = V body - V N I N = - 1,1 V N I N In measurement number 2, the point U FC is connected with the switches 38 and 41 to the zero reference 0 ref . The noise suppression amplifier's 12 positive input terminal remains connected to the test signal generator's 10 zero reference 0 ref via the switch 40. In this instance, the measurement currents are supplied by the equations (7) and (8) below. I cx = U FC - V cx Z in I R = U FE - V R Z in For UFC=0 and UFE and Z in set at 1 and 10 Mohms respectively, the following is obtained: I cx = - V cx 10M and I R = 1 - V R 10M respectively. Even in this instance, the current IN across the neutral electrode N is equal to the sum of the other electrodes' currents according to the equation (9) below. IN = ΣI cx + I R + I L + I F The patient's 2 potential V body can now be calculated with the aid of the current IN and the neutral electrode's N impedance, Z N , calculated according to measurement number one (see equation (6)) as well as the potential V N measured at the output terminal of the noise suppression amplifier 10: V body = V N + I N · Z N Finally, the impedance Z R of the extremity electrode R can be calculated with the equation (11) below: Z R = V R - V B I R The impedances Z L etc. in the other extremity electrodes L etc. are calculated in the analogous manner. The accuracy of calculations of electrode impedances is primarily governed by the approximation made in the first measurement. The switch 43 in FIG. 8 must be closed when the amplifiers are calibrated. Cf. the description of FIG. 1 above.

Claims: A device for monitoring one or a plurality of measurement electrodes (R,L,F,C1..C6) and a neutral electrode (N), attached to a patient (2) for recording physiological measurement signals, and their leads while the said measurement signals are being picked up, each measurement electrode (R,L,F,C1..C6) being connected to one input terminal of an associated measurement amplifier (4,6,8,31..36) and comprises a test signal generator (10) arranged to generate a pure AC signal, without any direct current component, for pickup by the measurement electrodes (R,L,F,C1..C6); and a noise suppression amplifier (12) having an output connected to the neutral electrode (N) characterized in that the noise suppression amplifier (12) comprises a first input terminal to which the test signal generator (10) is operably connectable to apply the AC signal to the neutral electrode (N) and a second input terminal connected to an output terminal of one of the measurement amplifiers (4;6;8) or, via a network (9), to a plurality of measurement amplifiers (4,6,8). The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the signal generator (10) being also connected to an output terminal of a one of the measurement amplifiers (8). The device according to claim 1 characterized in that the measurement amplifiers (4,6,31..36) are arranged in two groups, each consisting of at least one amplifier (4,6 and 31..36 respectively), the output terminals from only the first group of measurement amplifiers (4,6) being connected to the noise suppression amplifier (12), and in that the test signal generator (10) is arranged to generate a first alternating current signal through the input impedance (Z in ) and associated electrode impedance (Z cl ) of each of the amplifiers in the second group of measurement amplifiers (31...36) and to generate a second alternating current signal through the input impedance (Z in ) and associated electrode impedance (Z R ) of each of the amplifiers in the first group of measurement amplifiers (4,6) to make possible measurement of the voltages generated by the two alternating current signals. The device according to claim 3, characterized in that the test signal generator (10) comprises a first test signal generating means for generating the first alternating current signal at a first frequency and a second test signal generating means for generating the second alternating current signal at a second frequency, both means each having a first and a second pole wherein the first pole of the first test signal generating means is connected to the noise suppression amplifier's (12) positive input terminal and, via individual impedances (Z IN ), to the measurement amplifiers'(4,6) input terminals in the first group, while the second pole of the first test signal generating means is connected, by individual impedances (Z IN ), to the input terminals of measurement amplifiers (31..36) in the second group, and wherein the first pole of the second test signal generating means is connected to the noise suppression amplifier's (12) positive input terminal and, via individual impedances (Z IN ), to the input terminals of measurement amplifiers (31..36) in the second group, and the second pole of the second test signal generating means connected, via individual impedances (Z IN ), to input terminals of measurement amplifiers (4,6) in the first group.

Inventors: DANIELSSON PETER, OHLSSON THOMAS, DANIELSSON, PETER, OHLSSON, THOMAS
Applicants: SIEMENS AG, SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
Application year: 1997
Main classification: A61B5
IPC codes: A61B5