Combined wavelet transformation and radial basis neural networks for classifying life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias

Automatic detection and classification of arrhythmias based on ECG signals are important to cardiac-disease diagnostics. The ability of the ECG classifier to identify arrhythmias accurately is based on the development of robust techniques for both feature extraction and classification. A classifier is developed based on using wavelet transforms for extracting features and then using a radial basis function neural network (RBFNN) to classify the arrhythmia. Six energy descriptors are derived from the wavelet coefficients over a single-beat interval from the ECG signal. Nine different continuous and discrete wavelet transforms are considered for obtaining the feature vector. An RBFNN adapted to detect and classify life-threatening arrhythmias is then used to classify the feature vector. Classification results are based on 159 arrhythmia files obtained from three different sources. Classification results indicate the potential for wavelet based energy descriptors to distinguish the main features of the signal and thereby enhance the classification scheme. The RBFNN classifier appears to be well suited to classifying the arrhythmia, owing to the feature vectors' linear inseparability and tendency to cluster. Utilising the Daubechies wavelet transform, an overall correct classification of 97.5% is obtained, with 100% correct classification for both ventricular fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia.