Channel Definition Sequence Attribute
| Tag | (003A,0200) |
|---|---|
| Type | Required (1) |
| Keyword | ChannelDefinitionSequence |
| Value Multiplicity | 1 |
| Value Representation | Sequence (SQ) |
Sequence of Items, with one Item per channel (see Section C.10.9.1.4).
One or more Items shall be included in this Sequence.
Ordering of Items in this Sequence is significant for reference to specific channels.
Section C.10.9.1.4
C.10.9.1.4 Channel Definition Sequence
C.10.9.1.4.1 Channel Source and Modifiers
Channel Source Sequence (003A,0208) identifies the metric (quality being measured, e.g., voltage or pressure), the anatomical position of the sensor or probe, the function of the channel (e.g., measurement or stimulus), and any particulars of technique that affect those parameters (e.g., pull-back across multiple anatomic sites, or differential input from two distinct sites). If the full semantics of the source is not carried in a single coded entry (e.g., if it specifies the location but not the metric), additional qualifiers are identified in Channel Source Modifiers Sequence (003A,0209) coded entries.
When a single sensor channel is used to collect a waveform from two (or more) anatomic sites, e.g., in hemodynamic pull-back procedures, multiple Channel Source Modifier Items will identify the sequence of sites, if not encoded in the semantics of the Channel Source Coded Entry. Transition times from one site to another may be indicated with an Annotation, or pull-back rate may be indicated with an Acquisition Context Sequence (0040,0555) Item (see Section C.7.6.14).
The Baseline CIDs are defined by IOD in accordance with Section A.34. Restrictions in the IOD may also determine the pattern of specification of the waveform source, i.e., which Item is to be encoded in the Channel Source Sequence, and the order in which Channel Source Modifier Items are to be encoded. Unless otherwise specified, pattern of specification of the waveform source shall be:
-
If the function of the channel is not measurement, the function (and optionally additional parameters of the channel source) shall be encoded in the Channel Source Item.
-
If the function of the channel is measurement of a waveform originating in the patient (the implicit default function), the metric (and optionally additional parameters of the channel source) shall be encoded in the Channel Source Item.
-
If not encoded in the Channel Source Item, and a particular technique needs to be encoded, that technique shall be encoded in the first Channel Source Modifier Item.
Note
For example, an intracardiac measurement of a pressure waveform across the mitral valve by means of a catheter pullback may be encoded in one of the following three ways (using pseudo-coded terminology), depending on the availability of coded terms with sufficient expressive power:
|
Channel Source |
Channel Source Modifiers |
|
X-2311 "pressure measurement" |
T-7663 "pullback"C-2001 "mitral valve" |
|
X-2123 "pressure measurement, pullback" |
C-2001 "mitral valve" |
|
X-1234 "pressure measurement, mitral valve, pullback" |
(none required) |
C.10.9.1.4.2 Channel Sensitivity and Channel Sensitivity Units
Channel Sensitivity (003A,0210) is the nominal value of one unit (i.e., the least significant bit) of each waveform sample in Waveform Data (5400,1010). It includes both the amplifier gain and the analog-digital converter resolution. It does not relate the vertical scaling of a waveform on a particular display.
Note
A prior release specified Channel Sensitivity Units Sequence (003A,0211) DCID 3082 “Cardiology Measurement Unit (Retired)”. CID 3082 “Cardiology Measurement Unit (Retired)” was a subset of CID 82 “Measurement Unit”, and has been retired in favor of the more general CID 82 “Measurement Unit”. See PS3.3-2011.
Channel Sensitivity Correction Factor (003A,0212) is the ratio of the actual (calibrated) value to the nominal channel sensitivity specified in Channel Sensitivity (003A,0210). Thus a waveform sample value multiplied by the Channel Sensitivity value provides the nominal measured value in Channel Sensitivity Units, and that nominal value multiplied by the Channel Sensitivity Correction Factor provides the calibrated measured value.
C.10.9.1.4.3 Channel Skew and Channel Offset
Skew is also known as a sub-sample time delay, typically caused by using a multiplexed analog to digital converter that switches from channel to channel. For analysis it may be important to know if the analog channels were all latched simultaneously or sequentially and then digitized. Skew may be represented as time offset in seconds, or a fractional number of samples.
Separate and additional to skew is an offset time adjustment (sometimes called latency) by which one waveform channel is displaced significantly relative to others before sampling.
Note
As an example, a hemodynamic pressure is measured at the external end of a catheter, and thus its measurement is delayed by the time for the pressure wave to propagate down the catheter. With a dual catheter measurement, two signals may be acquired at the same time, but one arrives by a longer distance (e.g., a pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, compared to a left ventricular pressure). To obtain an accurate comparison of the waveforms (e.g., the gradient across the mitral valve), one waveform has to be offset (perhaps as much as 30 ms) to synchronize them.
C.10.9.1.4.4 Waveform Bits Stored
Waveform Bits Stored (003A,021A) specifies the number of significant bits within the Waveform Bits Allocated of each sample, for signed or unsigned integers.
If Waveform Sample Value Representation is MB or AB, Waveform Bits Stored shall be 8.
C.10.9.1.4.5 Channel Minimum and Maximum Value
Channel Minimum Value (5400,0110) and Channel Maximum Value (5400,0112) Attributes may be used to send the analog-to-digital converter limits (i.e., the clipping levels).
Note
These values do not represent the maximum and minimum values in the encoded data, but rather the valid range of values.