Researchers at the National Institute of Technology Rourkela (NIT Rourkela) have developed a new upgrade to the traditional electrocardiography (ECG) system that improves the detection of subtle electrical signals from the upper chambers of the heart. These signals are essential in diagnosing atrial arrhythmias, which can lead to serious health conditions such as atrial fibrillation and stroke.
Atrial arrhythmias are among the most frequently encountered forms of irregular heart rhythms, especially in hospitalised patients. Early detection is key to timely treatment and prevention of complications. In a standard ECG, doctors look for the P-wave to assess the electrical activity of the heart’s atria. However, P-waves are often faint and difficult to observe due to interference from other signals or noise, making detection of atrial arrhythmias challenging.
To address this, the NIT Rourkela team has developed the Atrial Lead System (ALS), a modified lead placement approach that strengthens atrial signal capture without altering the ECG machine itself. In ECG practice, leads refer to configurations of electrical measurements based on electrode placement. The ALS involves rearranging the electrode positions to better record atrial activity, improving the visibility of the P-wave. This enhancement supports both manual and automated diagnosis of atrial arrhythmias.
Dr J. Sivaraman, Research Lead and Assistant Professor at the Department of Biotechnology and Medical Engineering, NIT Rourkela, said, “We introduced novel electrode placements that significantly increased the visibility of atrial activity on ECG readings. The improved signal clarity allows for quicker analysis and better clinical decision-making.”
The development allows healthcare facilities to adopt the upgrade without modifying their existing ECG equipment. This could enable broader implementation across both public and private healthcare settings.
Commenting on the clinical significance, Dr R. Pradeep Kumar, Institute of Cardiac Care, MIOT International, Chennai, said, “A clearly appreciated P wave in ECG gives a clue to the diagnosis of atrial pathology. To distinguish atrial fibrillation from other supraventricular arrhythmias, P wave morphology needs to be taken into consideration.”
The research team includes Dr J. Sivaraman, Dr N. Bala Chakravarthy, and Prof. Kunal Pal, along with research scholars Prasanna Venkatesh and Arya Bhardwaj. Clinical validation was supported by Dr R. Pradeep Kumar, Senior Interventional Cardiologist at MIOT International, Chennai, and Visiting Consultant at Jaiprakash Hospital and Research Centre, Rourkela.
The broader research findings have been published in peer-reviewed journals such as Biomedical Signal Processing & Control, Medical Hypotheses, and Physical & Engineering Sciences in Medicine. A patent application has been filed for the Atrial Lead System (Application No. 202431094709), and the project received funding support from the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), Government of India.