Classification of auditory brainstem response using wavelet decomposition and SVM network

In electrophysiological hearing assessment and diagnosis of brain stem lesions are most often used auditory brainstem evoked potentials of short latency. They are characterized by successively arranged maxima as a function of time, called waves. Morphology of the course, in particular, the timing and amplitude of each wave, allow neurologist diagnosis, which is not an easy task. Neurologist requires experience, attention and very good perception. In order to support the diagnostic process, the authors have developed an algorithm implementing the automated classification of auditory evoked potentials to the group of pathological and physiological cases. The sensitivity and specificity of group numbering of 130 cases are respectively 95% and 98% and classification accuracy is equal to 97%. The procedures developed by the authors for generation of distinctive features based on wavelet decomposition with a SVM network-based classifier have been integrated into a diagnostic application directly interoperable with Nicolet Viking Select (Natus Medical Inc., USA) system data files.