Complete Pan Tompkins Implementation ECG QRS detector

Detects QRS complex in an ECG signal based on Pan Tompkins algorithm
23.2K Downloads
Updated 8 Apr 2018

View License

Complete Implementation of Pan Tompkins;
If you found this script useful please cite the following references;
%% References :
%[1] Sedghamiz. H, "Matlab Implementation of Pan Tompkins ECG QRS detector.", March 2014. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/313673153_Matlab_Implementation_of_Pan_Tompkins_ECG_QRS_detect
AND
%[2] PAN.J, TOMPKINS. W.J,"A Real-Time QRS Detection Algorithm" IEEE
%TRANSACTIONS ON BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING, VOL. BME-32, NO. 3, MARCH 1985.
%% Author : Hooman Sedghamiz
% Linkoping university
% email : hoose792@student.liu.se
% Copyright march 2014
-----------------
%% Method :
%% PreProcessing
% 1) bandpass filter(5-15 Hz)
% 2) derivating filter to high light the QRS complex.
% 3) Signal is squared.
% 4)Signal is averaged of noise (0.150 seconds length).
% 5) depending on the sampling frequency of your signal the filtering
% options are changed to best match the characteristics of your ecg signal
%% Decision Rule
% At this point in the algorithm, the preceding stages have produced a roughly pulse-shaped
% waveform at the output of the MWI . The determination as to whether this pulse
% corresponds to a QRS complex (as opposed to a high-sloped T-wave or a noise artefact) is
% performed with an adaptive thresholding operation and other decision
% rules outlined below;
% a) FIDUCIAL MARK - The waveform is first processed to produce a set of weighted unit
% samples at the location of the MWI maxima. This is done in order to localize the QRS
% complex to a single instant of time. The w[k] weighting is the maxima value.
% b) THRESHOLDING - When analyzing the amplitude of the MWI output, the algorithm uses
% two threshold values (THR_SIG and THR_NOISE, appropriately initialized during a brief
% 2 second training phase) that continuously adapt to changing ECG signal quality. The
% first pass through y[n] uses these thresholds to classify the each non-zero sample
% (CURRENTPEAK) as either signal or noise:
% If CURRENTPEAK > THR_SIG, that location is identified as a “QRS complex
% candidate” and the signal level (SIG_LEV) is updated:
% SIG _ LEV = 0.125 ×CURRENTPEAK + 0.875× SIG _ LEV
% If THR_NOISE < CURRENTPEAK < THR_SIG, then that location is identified as a
% “noise peak” and the noise level (NOISE_LEV) is updated:
% NOISE _ LEV = 0.125×CURRENTPEAK + 0.875× NOISE _ LEV
% Based on new estimates of the signal and noise levels (SIG_LEV and NOISE_LEV,
% respectively) at that point in the ECG, the thresholds are adjusted as follows:
% THR _ SIG = NOISE _ LEV + 0.25 × (SIG _ LEV ? NOISE _ LEV )
% THR _ NOISE = 0.5× (THR _ SIG)
% These adjustments lower the threshold gradually in signal segments that are deemed to
% be of poorer quality.
% c) SEARCHBACK FOR MISSED QRS COMPLEXES - In the thresholding step above, if
% CURRENTPEAK < THR_SIG, the peak is deemed not to have resulted from a QRS
% complex. If however, an unreasonably long period has expired without an abovethreshold
% peak, the algorithm will assume a QRS has been missed and perform a
% searchback. This limits the number of false negatives. The minimum time used to trigger
% a searchback is 1.66 times the current R peak to R peak time period (called the RR
% interval). This value has a physiological origin - the time value between adjacent
% heartbeats cannot change more quickly than this. The missed QRS complex is assumed
% to occur at the location of the highest peak in the interval that lies between THR_SIG and
% THR_NOISE. In this algorithm, two average RR intervals are stored,the first RR interval is
% calculated as an average of the last eight QRS locations in order to adapt to changing heart
% rate and the second RR interval mean is the mean
% of the most regular RR intervals . The threshold is lowered if the heart rate is not regular
% to improve detection.
% d) ELIMINATION OF MULTIPLE DETECTIONS WITHIN REFRACTORY PERIOD - It is
% impossible for a legitimate QRS complex to occur if it lies within 200ms after a previously
% detected one. This constraint is a physiological one – due to the refractory period during
% which ventricular depolarization cannot occur despite a stimulus[1]. As QRS complex
% candidates are generated, the algorithm eliminates such physically impossible events,
% thereby reducing false positives.
% e) T WAVE DISCRIMINATION - Finally, if a QRS candidate occurs after the 200ms
% refractory period but within 360ms of the previous QRS, the algorithm determines
% whether this is a genuine QRS complex of the next heartbeat or an abnormally prominent
% T wave. This decision is based on the mean slope of the waveform at that position. A slope of
% less than one half that of the previous QRS complex is consistent with the slower
% changing behaviour of a T wave – otherwise, it becomes a QRS detection.
% Extra concept : beside the points mentioned in the paper, this code also
% checks if the occured peak which is less than 360 msec latency has also a
% latency less than 0,5*mean_RR if yes this is counted as noise

Cite As

Hooman Sedghamiz (2024). Complete Pan Tompkins Implementation ECG QRS detector (https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/fileexchange/45840-complete-pan-tompkins-implementation-ecg-qrs-detector), MATLAB Central File Exchange. Retrieved .

MATLAB Release Compatibility
Created with R2012b
Compatible with any release
Platform Compatibility
Windows macOS Linux

Community Treasure Hunt

Find the treasures in MATLAB Central and discover how the community can help you!

Start Hunting!
Version Published Release Notes
1.10.0.0

Filters Impulse responses got fixed!
Bug in findpeak fixed to handle different sampling freqeuencies

1.9.0.0

description updated

1.8

a flag added to have an option for skipping the plots (the name of the variable is 'gr')
- Cleaned up the code.
- Improved efficiency by proper pre-allocation.

1.7.0.0

% Citations added
Delay Bug removed.
the description for the variable Delay added

1.6.0.0

better plots
Fixed the bug with ax handles!

1.5.0.0

Script enhanced and tested on several MIT-BIH arrhythmia database, results are very close to the ones in the paper, tested on tape no. 100,101,102,104,222,234

1.4.0.0

There was a bug in the script which was removed round(0.100*Fs) changed to round(0.150*Fs)

1.3.0.0

Better plots added and some bugs removed

1.2.0.0

Filtered cut off frequency enhanced

1.1.0.0

Edited description

1.0.0.0