Abstract
In an international project investigators from 25 institutes are trying to establish
a common reference library and evaluation methods for testing the diagnostic performance
of various ECG computer programs and of cardiologists, based on ECG-independent clinical
information. A first set of 500 validated ECGs was collected and analyzed by fifteen
different computer programs and nine cardiologists, seven of who analysed the ECG
and five the VCG. A coding scheme was used to map individual diagnostic statements
onto a common set. Combined program and referee results were obtained by weighted
averaging. Preliminary results indicate that the classification accuracy of several
programs can still be improved. However, it was also apparent that the results of
the best 12-lead ECG computer programs proved to be almost as accurate as the best
of seven cardiologists in classifying seven main disease categories, i.e., normal,
left, right and biventricular hypertrophy, anterior, inferior and combined myocardial
infarction. Evaluation of rhythm statements and conduction disturbances was not included
in the study. The data collection is still being pursued in order to reach over 1,000
cases. In this way a common diagnostic database is being established for comparative
testing of diagnostic computer programs. This should lead to consumer protection and
improve the accuracy and reliability of computerized electrocardiography.
Key-Words
ECG Classification - Computerized Electrocardiography - Diagnostic Accuracy - Performance
Testing
