Summary

This paper describes how to evaluate an automated ECG analyzer using available annotated ECG databases and software, in compliance with standard evaluation protocols. These protocols have been adopted as parts of the American National Standard for Ambulatory Electrocardiographs (ANSI/AAMI EC38:1998, and its predecessor, ANSI/AAMI EC38:1994), and the American National Standard for Testing and Reporting Performance Results of Cardiac Rhythm and ST Segment Measurement Algorithms (ANSI/AAMI EC57:1998). They include earlier evaluation protocols developed for an AAMI Recommended Practice, Testing and Reporting Performance Results of Ventricular Arrhythmia Detection Algorithms (AAMI ECAR, 1987). It will be most useful to readers who plan to use the suite of evaluation software included in the WFDB Software Package (http://www.physionet.org/physiotools/wfdb.shtml); this suite of software includes the reference implementations of the evaluation protocols specified in EC38 and EC57.

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Updated 10 June 2022