Certified Rhythm Analysis Technician (CRAT) Practice Exam 2025 – All-in-One Study Guide for Exam Success!

In an ECG machine, signal processing involves several critical steps that prepare the recorded electrical impulses for analysis and display. The correct answer highlights that during this process, the electrical impulses generated by the heart are amplified, which is essential to enhance the small signals so that they can be accurately measured and displayed. This step is crucial because the raw signals obtained from electrodes attached to the skin are often too weak to be interpreted correctly.

Additionally, the conversion of these impulses for display typically involves the transformation of the analog signal into a form that can be easily represented visually, such as on a monitor or graph. This conversion is essential for clinicians to interpret the rhythm and electrical activity of the heart effectively.

The other answer choices, while related to ECG operation, do not accurately depict the core process of signal processing. For example, the recording and printing of the electrical impulse and sending it to an external display are functions that occur after the signal processing step. Similarly, while digital conversion for storage may be part of the overall function of the ECG machine, it does not directly address the dynamic signal processing that primarily involves the amplification and conversion of electrical impulses.