Intramuscular EMG signal decomposition

Information regarding motor unit potentials (MUPs) and motor unit firing patterns during muscle contractions is useful for physiological investigation and clinical examinations either for the understanding of motor control or for the diagnosis of neuromuscular disorders. In order to obtain such information, composite electromyographic (EMG) signals are decomposed (i.e., resolved into their constituent motor unit potential trains [MUPTs]). The goals of automatic decomposition techniques are to create a MUPT for each motor unit that contributed significant MUPs to the original composite signal. Diagnosis can then be facilitated by decomposing a needle-detected EMG signal, extracting features of MUPTs, and finally analyzing the extracted features (i.e., quantitative electromyography). Herein, the concepts of EMG signals and EMG signal decomposition techniques are explained. The steps involved with the decomposition of an EMG signal and the methods developed for each step, along with their strengths and limitations, are discussed and compared. Finally, methods developed to evaluate decomposition algorithms and assess the validity of the obtained MUPTs are reviewed and evaluated. © 2010 by Begell House, Inc.