I am studying some literatures on ECG signal processing and I came up with the word "lead". I can not find what it means.
For example in this sentence :
"The 12-lead ECG, which contains six front and six precordial leads, has been standardized by an international convention."
Could anyone please explain what it means ?
A "lead" is the electrical potential difference between two electrodes placed on specific points on the body. Please look at ECGpedia.org for more info.
In this context 'lead' is the same as channel and means the bipolar vector as well said by Corstiaan den Uil. 12-lead ECG is the traditional 12-channel ECG with channels I, II, III, aVR, aVL, aVF and the 6 'precordial leads'. Please see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrocardiography as well.
All the best!
In this context, it just means the electrical view that an "electrode", "wire" or "single conductor cable" has across the body (at an angle). We often call each one a "lead" since it leads to something. Note: a 12-lead EKG system actually has 10-leads (wires) since 2 of the 12-leads are the result of combinations of angles formed.
"angels formed" -> "angles formed". Angels don't exist. Angles do :-)
Hi,
If I may, after nicely stated by Uil and Schlindwein above,"Lead" may also be regarded as a "viewpoint" strategically located on the skin surface from where one can register and quantify the electrical potential generated by an electrical source inside the body. In this case, the electrical activity of the heart.
Taking electrical activity of the heart as a (moving) vector, the "Lead" will "simply see" (register the amplitude of) the electrical activity as a projection of that vector on its own axis, over time. Thus, Leads at differents locations will capture the electrical activity from different points of view. That's the reason why it is employed 12 Leads in clinical practice: 12 different strategically designed locations "seeing" the same electrical activity varying over time from different points of view.
Peace and blessings!
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