Recording Electrodes

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§ Bioelectric events have to be picked up from the surface of the body before they
can be put into the amplifier for subsequent recording or display. This is done by
using electrodes.

§ Electrodes transfer from the ionic conduction in the tissue to the electronic
conduction which is necessary for making measurements.

§ Electrodes are also required when physiological parameters are measured by the
impedance method and when irritable tissues are to be stimulated in
electrotherapy.

§ The surface electrodes pick up the potential difference from the tissue surface
when placed over it without damaging the live tissue.

§ In contrast, the deep-seated electrodes indicate the electric potential difference

arising inside the live tissue or cell. The same classification can be applied to
electrodes used to stimulate muscles.
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‫ﯾﺟب اﻟﺗﻘﺎط اﻹﺷﺎرات اﻟﻛﮭرﺑﯾﺔ اﻟﺣﯾوﯾﺔ ﻣن ﺳطﺢ اﻟﺟﺳم ﻗﺑل وﺿﻌﮭﺎ ﻓﻲ ﻣﻛﺑر اﻟﺻوت ﻟﻠﺗﺳﺟﯾل‬
‫أو اﻟﻌرض اﻟﻼﺣق‪ .‬ﯾﺗم ذﻟك ﺑﺎﺳﺗﺧدام اﻷﻗطﺎب اﻟﻛﮭرﺑﺎﺋﯾﺔ‪.‬‬

‫ﺗﻧﺗﻘل اﻷﻗطﺎب اﻟﻛﮭرﺑﺎﺋﯾﺔ ﻣن اﻟﺗوﺻﯾل اﻷﯾوﻧﻲ ﻓﻲ اﻷﻧﺳﺟﺔ إﻟﻰ اﻟﺗوﺻﯾل اﻹﻟﻛﺗروﻧﻲ اﻟﺿروري‬
‫ﻹﺟراء اﻟﻘﯾﺎﺳﺎت‪.‬‬

‫ﺿﺎ ﻋﻧد ﻗﯾﺎس اﻟﻣﻌﻠﻣﺎت اﻟﻔﺳﯾوﻟوﺟﯾﺔ ﺑطرﯾﻘﺔ اﻟﻣﻌﺎوﻗﺔ وﻋﻧدﻣﺎ ﯾﺗم‬

‫اﻷﻗطﺎب اﻟﻛﮭرﺑﺎﺋﯾﺔ ﻣطﻠوﺑﺔ أﯾ ً‬
‫ﺗﺣﻔﯾز اﻷﻧﺳﺟﺔ اﻟﻣﺗﮭﯾﺟﺔ ﻓﻲ اﻟﻌﻼج اﻟﻛﮭرﺑﺎﺋﻲ‪.‬‬

‫ﺗﻠﺗﻘط اﻷﻗطﺎب اﻟﻛﮭرﺑﺎﺋﯾﺔ اﻟﺳطﺣﯾﺔ ﻓرق اﻟﺟﮭد ﻣن ﺳطﺢ اﻷﻧﺳﺟﺔ ﻋﻧد وﺿﻌﮭﺎ ﻓوﻗﮫ دون‬
‫اﻹﺿرار ﺑﺎﻷﻧﺳﺟﺔ اﻟﺣﯾﺔ‪.‬‬

‫ﻓﻲ اﻟﻣﻘﺎﺑل ‪ ،‬ﺗﺷﯾر اﻷﻗطﺎب اﻟﻛﮭرﺑﺎﺋﯾﺔ اﻟﻌﻣﯾﻘﺔ إﻟﻰ ﻓرق اﻟﺟﮭد اﻟﻛﮭرﺑﻲ اﻟﻧﺎﺷﺊ داﺧل اﻟﻧﺳﯾﺞ أو‬
‫اﻟﺧﻠﯾﺔ اﻟﺣﯾﺔ‪ .‬ﯾﻣﻛن ﺗطﺑﯾق ﻧﻔس اﻟﺗﺻﻧﯾف ﻋﻠﻰ اﻷﻗطﺎب اﻟﻛﮭرﺑﺎﺋﯾﺔ اﻟﻣﺳﺗﺧدﻣﺔ ﻟﺗﺣﻔﯾز اﻟﻌﺿﻼت‪.‬‬
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§ Electrodes play an important part in the satisfactory recording of

bioelectric signals and their choice requires careful consideration.
They should be:
1. Comfortable for the patients to wear over long periods

2. Should not produce any artifacts.

3. Convenience of the application of the electrodes.

‫ﺗﻠﻌب اﻷﻗطﺎب اﻟﻛﮭرﺑﺎﺋﯾﺔ دوًرا ﻣﮭًﻣﺎ ﻓﻲ اﻟﺗﺳﺟﯾل اﻟﻣرﺿﻲ ﻟﻺﺷﺎرات اﻟﻛﮭروﺿوﺋﯾﺔ وﯾﺗطﻠب اﺧﺗﯾﺎرھم‬
:‫ ﻣن اھم ﻣﻣﯾزاﺗﮭﺎ‬.‫دراﺳﺔ ﻣﺗﺄﻧﯾﺔ‬
‫ ﻣرﯾﺢ ﻟﻠﻣرﺿﻰ ﻟﻼرﺗداء ﻟﻔﺗرات طوﯾﻠﺔ‬.١
.‫ ﻻ ﯾﻧﺑﻐﻲ أن ﺗﻧﺗﺞ أي ﻗطﻊ أﺛرﯾﺔ‬.٢
.(‫ راﺣﺔ ﺗطﺑﯾق اﻷﻗطﺎب اﻟﻛﮭرﺑﺎﺋﯾﺔ )ﻣﻼﺋﻣﺔ ﻟﻠﺗطﺑﯾﻘﺎت اﻟﻣﺳﺗﺧدﻣﺔ ﻣن اﺟﻠﮭﺎ‬.٣
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Classification of Electrodes

Electrodes can be classified according to their application or their place of

interaction with the body:

1. Body Surface Electrodes (Facial)

2. Needle electrodes (Internal)

3. Microelectrodes (Deep) (Intracellular, Extracellular)

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1. Body Surface Recording Electrodes
§ The most commonly used electrodes in patient monitoring and
related studies are surface electrodes.

§ The notable examples are when they are used for recording
ECG, EEG, and respiratory activity by impedance
pneumography.

§ In order to avoid movement artifacts and to obtain a clearly

established contact (low contact impedance) an electrolyte or
electrode paste is usually employed as an interface between
the electrode and the surface of the source of the event.
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The characteristic of a surface electrode composed of a metal electrode and

attached to the surface of the body through an electrolyte (electrode jelly) is
dependent upon the conditions at the metal-electrolyte interface, the
electrolyte-skin interface, and the quality of the electrolyte.
‫ﺗﻌﺗﻣد ﺧﺻﺎﺋص اﻟﻘطب اﻟﻛﮭرﺑﺎﺋﻲ اﻟﺳطﺣﻲ اﻟﻣﻛون ﻣن ﻗطب ﻛﮭرﺑﺎﺋﻲ ﻣﻌدﻧﻲ وﻣﺗﺻل ﺑﺳطﺢ‬
:‫اﻟﺟﺳم ﻣن ﺧﻼل إﻟﻛﺗروﻟﯾت )ھﻼم اﻹﻟﻛﺗروﻟﯾت( ﻋﻠﻰ‬
.‫ اﻟﺗوﺻﯾﻠﯾﺔ ﺑﯾن واﺟﮭﺔ اﻹﻟﻛﺗروﻟﯾت اﻟﻣﻌدﻧﻲ وواﺟﮭﺔ اﻟﺟﻠد ﺑﺎﻟﻛﮭرﺑﺎء‬.١
‫ ﺟودة اﻹﻟﻛﺗروﻟﯾت‬.٢
 § The earliest bioelectric potential measurements relied on immersion
z electrodes that were simply buckets of saline solution into which the
patient placed a hand and a foot, as shown in Figure
• Plate electrodes, first introduced in 1917,
were a great improvement on immersion
electrodes. They were originally separated
from the skin by cotton pads soaked in
saline to emulate the immersion electrode
mechanism.
• Later, an electrolytic paste was used in
place of the pad with the metal in contact
with the skin.

• Electrodes that can be placed on the body surface for recording bioelectric signals. The
integrity of the skin is not compromised. Can be used for short or long duration
applications.
 Types of body surface electrodes
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1.Metal Plate Electrodes 2. Suction Electrodes

3. Floating Electrodes 4. Flexible Electrodes.

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Metal plate electrodes
§ It consists of a metallic conductor in contact with the skin.

§ An electrolyte-soaked pad or gel is used to establish and maintain the contact

§ a. A limb electrode (‫)اﻷﻗطﺎب اﻟﻛﮭرﺑﺎﺋﯾﺔ‬:

metal-plate electrode used for
application to limbs, traditionally made
from German-silver (nickel-silver alloy).
§ b. Metal disk electrode applied with surgical tape which has lead wire soldered or welded on the back
surface
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1. For ECG application made form disk of Ag with electrolytically deposited layer of AgCl on its
contacting surface.

2. For surface EMG applications made of stainless steel, platinum or gold-plated disks to minimize
electrolyte chemical reaction.

3. Acts as polarizable electrode, and prone to motion artifacts.

‫ وھو ﻋرﺿﺔ ﻟﻠﺗﺄﺛﯾرات اﻟﻣﺗﺣرﻛﺔ‬، ‫ﯾﻌﻣل ﻛﻘطب ﻛﮭرﺑﺎﺋﻲ ﻗﺎﺑل ﻟﻼﺳﺗﻘطﺎب‬

§ c. Disposable foam pad electrodes: often used with ECG
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monitoring apparatus.

• Relatively large disk of plastic foam with silver plated disk serving as electrode,
coated with AgCl.

• Layer of electrolyte gel covers the disk.

• Electrode side of foam covered with adhesive material.

 Suction Electrodes
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§ A metallic suction electrode is often used as a precordial (chest) electrode on
clinical electrocardiographs.

1. It requires no straps or adhesives for holding it in place.

2. Electrolyte gel is placed on the contacting surface of electrode.

3. This electrode can be used only for short periods of time.

 Floating Electrodes
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§ Mechanical technique to reduce noise.
Isolates the electrode-electrolyte
interface from motion artifacts

‫ ﯾﻌزل‬.‫ﺗﻘﻧﯾﺔ ﻣﯾﻛﺎﻧﯾﻛﯾﺔ ﻟﺗﻘﻠﯾل اﻟﺿوﺿﺎء‬

‫واﺟﮭﺔ اﻹﻟﻛﺗرود واﻻﻟﻛﺗروﻻﯾت ﻣن ﺗﺷوھﺎت‬
‫اﻟﺣرﻛﺔ‬

The principal feature of the electrode metal disk (actual electrode) is recessed in a cavity.
1. Floating in the electrolyte gel.
2. Not directly contact with the skin.
3. Reduces motion artifacts.
The recess in this electrode is formed from an open foam disk, saturated with electrolyte gel
and placed over the metal electrode
‫ وﯾوﺿﻊ ﻓوق اﻟﻘطب اﻟﻣﻌدﻧﻲ‬، ‫ ﻣﺷﺑﻊ ﺑﮭﻼم اﻹﻟﻛﺗروﻟﯾت‬، ‫ﯾﺗﻛون اﻟﺗﺟوﯾف ﻓﻲ ھذا اﻟﻘطب ﻣن ﻗرص رﻏوي ﻣﻔﺗوح‬
 Flexible Electrodes
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§ Solid electrodes cannot conform to body surface topology resulting in additional
motion artifacts.

(a) Carbon-filled silicone rubber compound (conductive) in the

form of a thin strip or disk is used as the active element of an
electrode.
• The carbon particles in the silicone make it an electric
conductor.
• A pin connector is pushed into the lead connector hole and
the electrode is used like a metal plate electrode.
• Applications monitoring premature infants (2500gr) that are
not suitable for using standard electrodes.

(b) Flexible thin film neonatal electrode.

The basic electrode consists of 13 μm thick Mylar film with Ag/AgCl film deposition.

Drawback High electric impedance

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2. Internal Electrodes
(detect biopotential within body)

§ Percutaneous electrodes electrode itself or a lead wire crosses

the skin.
§ Entirely internal electrodes are connected to an implanted
electronic circuit such as a radio-telemetry transmitter.
§ No limitation due to the electrolyte skin interface

§ The electrode behaves in the way dictated entirely by the

electrode-electrolyte interface.
§ No electrolyte gel is required to maintain this interface because
extracellular fluid is present.
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‫§ ﻗطب ﻛﮭرﺑﺎﺋﻲ ﯾﺗم إدﺧﺎﻟﮫ ﻋن طرﯾق اﻟﺟﻠد ﻧﻔﺳﮫ أو ﺳﻠك ﻣن اﻟرﺻﺎص ﯾﻌﺑر‬
‫اﻟﺟﻠد‪.‬‬
‫§ ﺗرﺗﺑط اﻷﻗطﺎب اﻟﻛﮭرﺑﺎﺋﯾﺔ اﻟداﺧﻠﯾﺔ ﺑﺎﻟﻛﺎﻣل ﺑداﺋرة إﻟﻛﺗروﻧﯾﺔ ﻣزروﻋﺔ ﻣﺛل‬
‫ﺟﮭﺎز إرﺳﺎل اﻟﻘﯾﺎس ﻋن ﺑ ُﻌد‪.‬‬

‫§ ﯾﺗﺻرف اﻟﻘطب ﺑﺎﻟطرﯾﻘﺔ اﻟﺗﻲ ﺗﻣﻠﯾﮭﺎ ﺑﺎﻟﻛﺎﻣل واﺟﮭﺔ اﻟﻘطب اﻟﻛﮭرﺑﺎﺋﻲ‪.‬‬

‫§ ﻻ ﯾﻠزم وﺟود ھﻼم إﻟﻛﺗروﻟﯾت ﻟﻠﺣﻔﺎظ ﻋﻠﻰ ھذه اﻟواﺟﮭﺔ ﻧظًرا ﻟوﺟود ﺳﺎﺋل‬
‫ﺧﺎرج اﻟﺧﻠﯾﺔ‪.‬‬
 Types of internal electrodes
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1.Insulated needle electrode 2. Coaxial needle electrode

4. A fine wire electrode connected to a hypodermic needle, before being inserted

(‫)ﻗطب ﺳﻠﻛﻲ رﻓﯾﻊ ﻣﺗﺻل ﺑﺈﺑرة ﺗﺣت اﻟﺟﻠد ﻗﺑل إدﺧﺎﻟﮫ‬
3. Multiple electrodes in a single needle
(Bipolar coaxial electrode)
 3. Microelectrodes
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Measure potential difference across cell membrane
(‫)ﻗﯾﺎس اﻻﺧﺗﻼﻓﺎت اﻟﻣﺣﺗﻣﻠﺔ ﻋﺑر ﻏﺷﺎء اﻟﺧﻠﯾﺔ‬

Requirements
§ Small enough to be placed into cell
§ Strong enough to penetrate cell membrane Intracellular
§ Typical tip diameter: 0.05 – 10 microns
Extracellular
Types
§ Solid metal -> Tungsten microelectrodes
§ Supported metal (metal contained within/outside glass needle)
§ Glass micropipette -> with Ag-AgCl electrode metal
 Fetal ECG Electrodes
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Electrodes for detecting fetal electrocardiogram during

labor, by means of intracutaneous needles
(a) Suction electrode.
(b) Cross-sectional view of a suction electrode in
place, showing penetration of probe through the
epidermis.
(c) Helical electrode, which is attached to fetal skin by
corkscrew-type action.
‫أﻗطﺎب ﻛﮭرﺑﺎﺋﯾﺔ ﻟﻠﻛﺷف ﻋن ﻣﺧطط اﻟﻘﻠب اﻟﻛﮭرﺑﺎﺋﻲ‬
‫ ﻋن طرﯾق إﺑر داﺧل اﻟﺟﻠد‬، ‫ ﻟﻠﺟﻧﯾن أﺛﻧﺎء اﻟﻣﺧﺎض‬.١
‫ﻗطب ﺷﻔط‬
‫ ﯾظﮭر ﺗﻐﻠﻐل‬، ‫ ﻋرض ﻣﻘطﻌﻲ ﻟﻘطب ﺷﻔط ﻓﻲ ﻣﻛﺎﻧﮫ‬.٢
‫اﻟﻣﺳﺑﺎر ﻋﺑر اﻟﺑﺷرة‬
‫ ﯾﺗم ﺗوﺻﯾﻠﮫ ﺑﺟﻠد اﻟﺟﻧﯾن‬، ‫ ﻗطب ﻛﮭرﺑﺎﺋﻲ ﺣﻠزوﻧﻲ‬.٣
‫ﺑﻌﻣل ﻣن ﻧوع اﻟﻣﻔﺗﺎح‬
 Electrode Arrays
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Microfabricated electrode arrays.

(a) One-dimensional plunge electrode array,
(b) Two-dimensional array, and
(c) Three-dimensional array
 Electrodes
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Surface Internal Micro electrodes

Fine wire
Needle Coaxial Multiple
with needle

Metal Suction Floating Flexible Supported Glass

Solid metal
metal micropipette
Limb Carbon
filled
Metal
disk Flexible
Fetal ECG Electrodes
thin-film
Disposable Electrode Arrays
foam
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