Using the vectorcardiogram to remove ECG noise

Electrocardiograms (ECGs) are prone to significant noise, including breathing and motion artifacts. Generally, for redundant lead systems, the noise is often correlated between leads. Using this redundancy, a simple image analysis pipeline was devised to improve the appearance of ECGs: (1) convert the ECG into a vectorcardiogram (VCG) representation, (2) filter in the VCG domain using a simple moving average filter, and (3) convert the VCG back into an ECG. The resulting ECG shows significantly improved P and T wave quality without loss of high frequency information in the QRS wave of the ECG. The implications of this approach for automated ECG monitoring and interpretation are described.