title: The evaluation of a precordial ECG BELT: technologist satisfaction and accuracy of recording.
abstract: The standard method for performing electrocardiogram (ECG) recordings presents a challenge to technicians because of the need to correctly position the individual precordial electrodes according to 6 bony thoracic landmarks. A proposed new method using a 6-lead ECG BELT for precordial application was compared to the standard method to determine the level of agreement among automated interpretations. A comparison of automated interpretations from repeat standard recordings served as the control. Results indicate that BELT and standard automated interpretations disagreed significantly more frequently than repeat standard recording automated interpretations of the cardiac rhythm. The BELT's most obvious weakness was the inability to obtain a recording with a stable ECG baseline, triggering automated detection of "baseline artifact or wander," and requiring a repeat recording. These findings suggest that the ECG BELT is not adequate for clinical application in its current form.
authors.affiliation: Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Bell
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Clifton
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pease
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Greenfield
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Leggett
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Maynard
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: O'Hara
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Selvester
authors.forename: G S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Wagner
mesh_terms: D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011996:Records / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013672:Technology; D000078329:Workforce