Denoising the electrocardiogram from electromyogram artifacts by combined transform-domain and dynamic approximation method

Abstract

A method for electromyogram (EMG) artifact suppression in electrocardiogram (ECG) recordings is presented. In an attempt to improve the traditional compromise between efficient EMG artifact suppression and preservation of the ECG waveform, the method combines a dynamic approximation filtering working in the QRS complexes areas, with a transform domain denoising of the segments outside them. The switching between the two procedures is controlled by the ECG signal slew rate. The results obtained show a virtual preservation of the QRS amplitudes and a considerable reduction of the EMG artifact.