VEUSim: Virtual ultrasound simulator for physician training in ultrasound via natural orifices

Drexel University
posted on 02/04/2010

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VEUSim is a medical education tool specifically designed for training physicians, residents, medical students and ultrasound technicians to learn and practice using ultrasound via natural orifices in a highly flexible virtual reality environment. VEUSim allows gaining significant skill and experience in intraluminal ultrasound, including complex anatomies, without the need for bulky mannequins or healthy or patient volunteers, which can greatly prepare the trainee to testing her/his skill in humans.

VEUSim consists of an ordinary computer with software controlling haptic interface, which simulates the feel of an ultrasound probe and ultrasound images the probe would produce within a given anatomy. The system enables the instructor to create an endless variety of simulated pathologies to be examined by the trainees and provides effective tools for monitoring the trainee’s performance. VEUSim was originally developed for simulating endovaginal ultrasound but can be easily applied to other types of intraluminal US such as transesophageal echocardiography etc.

The low cost design of the system allows for the widespread placement of multiple units in classrooms of medical schools and specialized training facilities. It is also adaptable for distance learning systems because the instructor can observe the trainee’s performance on a separate computer monitor and have full information about the quality of examination and related diagnoses.

- Medical education including physicians, residents, medical students and ultrasound technicians

- Distance learning for the above categories of users

- Learning and practicing intraluminal ultrasound skills without the use of healthy or patient volunteers

- Low cost and small footprint system requiring an ordinary computer and off-the-shelf haptic interface easily obtainable from several vendors

- No need for mannequins

- Virtual reality learning environment provides for easy selection of human anatomies and endless variety of pathologies to be generated by the intructor or trainee

- Multi-parameter evaluation of the trainee’s performance that can be recorded and analyzed remotely or at a different time. Seamless implementation of trainee performance monitoring and analysis

- Real-time feedback to the trainee of probe navigation and virtual patient comfort