Uncertainty-Aware PPG-2-ECG for Enhanced Cardiovascular Diagnosis Using Diffusion Models

Abstract

Analyzing the cardiovascular system condition via Electrocardiography (ECG) is a common and highly effective approach, and it has been practiced and perfected over many decades. ECG sensing is non-invasive and relatively easy to acquire, and yet it is still cumbersome for holter monitoring tests that may span over hours and even days. A possible alternative in this context is Photoplethysmography (PPG): An optically-based signal that measures blood volume fluctuations, as typically sensed by conventional "wearable devices". While PPG presents clear advantages in acquisition, convenience, and cost-effectiveness, ECG provides more comprehensive information, allowing for a more precise detection of heart conditions. This implies that a conversion from PPG to ECG, as recently discussed in the literature, inherently involves an unavoidable level of uncertainty. In this paper we introduce a novel methodology for addressing the PPG-2-ECG conversion, and offer an enhanced classification of cardiovascular conditions using the given PPG, all while taking into account the uncertainties arising from the conversion process. We provide a mathematical justification for our proposed computational approach, and present empirical studies demonstrating its superior performance compared to state-of-the-art baseline methods.