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From: jwb@ecsvax.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.ai
Subject: computer ECG
Message-ID: <2043@ecsvax.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 24-Feb-84 13:07:36 EST
Article-I.D.: ecsvax.2043
Posted: Fri Feb 24 13:07:36 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 25-Feb-84 04:20:35 EST
Lines: 73


At least three companies are currently marketing computer ECG analysis
systems.  They are Marquette Electronics, IBM, Hewlett-Packard.  We use the
Marquette system which works quite well.  Marquette and IBM use variants of
the same program (the "Bonner" program below, original development funded by
IBM.)  Apparently because of fierce competition, much current information,
particularly with regard to algorithms, is proprietary.  Worst in this regard
(a purely personal opinion) is HP who seems to think nobody but HP needs to
know how they do things and physicians are too dumb to understand anyway.
Another way hospitals get computer analysis of ECG's is through "Telenet" who
offers telephone connection to a time sharing system (I think located in the
Chicago area).  Signals are digitized and sent via a modem through standard
phone lines.  ECG's are analyzed and printed information is sent back.
Turn-around time is a few minutes.  They offer an advantage to small hospitals
by offering verification of the analysis by a Cardiologist (for an extra fee).
I understand this service has had some financial problems (rumors).

Following is a bibliography gathered for a lecture to medical students about
computer analysis of ECG's.  Because of this it is mainly from more or less
clinical literature and is oriented toward methods of validation (This is
tough, because reading of ECG's by cardiologists, like many clinical
decisions, is partly a subjective process.  The major impact of these systems
so far has been to force the medical community to develop objective criteria
for their analysis.)

                                 BIBLIOGRAPHY
                  Computer Analysis of the Electrocardiogram
                               August 29, 1983

BOOK

Pordy L (1977) Computer electrocardiography:  present status and criteria.
Mt. Kisco, New York, Futura

PAPERS

Bonner RE, Crevasse L, Ferrer MI, Greenfield JC Jr (1972) A new computer
program for analysis of scalar electrocardiograms.  Computers and Biomedical
Research 5:629-653

Garcia R, Breneman GM, Goldstein S (1981) Electrogram computer analysis.
Practical value of the IBM Bonner-2 (V2MO) program.  J. Electrocardiology
14:283-288

Rautaharju PM, Ariet M, Pryor TA, et al. (1978)  Task Force III:  Computers in
diagnostic electrocardiography.  Proceedings of the Tenth Bethesda Conference,
Optimal Electrocardiography.  Am. J. Cardiol. 41:158-170

Bailey JJ et al (1974) A method for evaluating computer programs for
electrocardiographic interpretation

I.  Application to the experimental IBM program of 1971.  Circulation 50:73-79

II.  Application to version D of the PHS program and the Mayo Clinic program
of 1968.  Circulation 50:80-87

III.  Reproducibility testing and the sources of program errors.  Circulation
50:88-93

Endou K, Miyahara H, Sato (1980) Clinical usefulness of computer diagnosis in
automated electrocardiography.  Cardiology 66:174-189

Bertrand CA et al (1980) Computer interpretation of electrocardiogram using
portable bedside unit.  New York State Journal of Medicine.  August
1980(?volume):1385-1389

Jack Buchanan
Cardiology and Biomedical Engineering
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
(919) 966-5201

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