New method for digitization and computerized analysis of paper recordings of standard 12-lead electrocardiograms

It is often important for both clinical and research purposes to perform automated waveform analysis and archiving of paper recordings of standard 12 lead ECGs. Many commercial methods have been developed for waveform analysis as digital ECGs are acquired. The present method was developed to 1) digitize scanned paper ECC recordings for analysis by the Hewlett-Packard (HP) program, and 2) to archive these data into clinical trial databases. The system was evaluated by comparing electrocardiograph-generated measurement matrices from scanned versus original ECGs, as well as comparing automated measurements of scanned ECGs against manual reading. Results indicate that the system accurately preserves the essential features of the waveforms, as there is no significant difference between automated measurements of scanned ECGs and manual reading