Robust R-peak Detection using Deep Learning based on Integrating Domain Knowledge

Electrocardiography (ECG) is a pivotal clinical technique for assessing heart function by recording its electrical activity. However, accurate processing and analysis of ECG signals, particularly the detection of R-peaks, remains challenging. Any inaccuracies in R-peak detection can significantly impact subsequent stages of analysis, potentially leading to incorrect diagnoses and treatment decisions. Therefore, in this study, we aim to refine the approach to identifying R-peaks in ECG signals by integrating knowledge of a reference ECG signal into the input signal, addressing the critical need for accurate R-peak detection in diagnosing various cardiac pathologies. The authors propose a novel method involving the integration of knowledge into the ECG signal, processing this information using a convolutional neural network, and post-processing the CNN model's results to identify R-peaks. The method was evaluated using various four well-known ECG databases. Comparative results, with an error margin of +-25 ms, revealed that the proposed approach was the top performer across almost all metrics and databases, frequently achieving accuracy scores of 0.9999 and demonstrating high precision, recall, and F-1-score. Based on the investigation findings, the proposed approach is robust and reliable, with the best performance achieved on the QT database test set, offering a balanced and dependable solution for R-peak detection in ECG signals.