Rule-based methods for ECG quality control

It is possible, using a smart phone or similar device, to collect ECGs from patients in remote locations, storing the results to be analyzed later. In this situation, however, the person collecting the ECG may not have the time or the necessary training to evaluate the quality of the recording at the time it is collected. It is useful for the device itself to analyze the recorded signals and provide feedback to the user about their quality. This paper explores a number of heuristic rules that can be used to detect the most common problems in ECG recordings. These rules are designed to be simple enough that they can easily be tested in real time on a mobile phone. A combination of several of these rules is able to correctly detect a majority of poor-quality ECGs, as demonstrated using the PhysioNet/CinC 2011 Challenge database.