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Abdominal ultrasound examination training using an ultrasound phantom and volume navigation system

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of using an ultrasound phantom (ECHOZY) and a volume navigation system (Vnavi) in abdominal ultrasonography training for young residents.

Methods

Nine third-year residents underwent abdominal ultrasonography training: controls, comprising five residents; and the ECHOZY + Vnavi group, comprising four residents. Residents were trained in abdominal ultrasound examinations using both educational videos and hands-on clinical training. The ECHOZY + Vnavi group also received training using an ultrasound phantom and volume navigation system. The time needed for abdominal ultrasound examination was calculated at 4 months (early), 8 months (middle), and 12 months (late) after starting training. The ability of each resident to visualize 20 abdominal structures on normal patients was also evaluated retrospectively.

Results

In the early period, the ECHOZY + Vnavi group needed significantly longer to complete examinations than controls (545 ± 125 s versus 392 ± 81 s, p < 0.01), but showed significantly better ability scores (17.5 ± 0.6 versus 13.4 ± 1.1, p < 0.05). Both these differences disappeared by the middle period (338 ± 107 s versus 259 ± 130 s and 17.8 ± 0.5 versus 16.0 ± 0.7).

Conclusion

In spite of longer examination times, training residents in abdominal ultrasonography using an ultrasound phantom and volume navigation system may be useful in the early period.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Gastroenterology, Dokkyo Medical University Koshigaya Hospital, 2-1-50 Minami-Koshigaya, Koshigaya-shi, Saitama, 343-8555, Japan

    Chizu Uetake, Akihiro Nakamoto, Toshikuni Suda & Masaya Tamano

Authors
  1. Chizu Uetake
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  2. Akihiro Nakamoto
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  3. Toshikuni Suda
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  4. Masaya Tamano
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Masaya Tamano.

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Conflict of interest

Chizu Uetake, Akihiro Nakamoto, Toshikuni Suda, and Masaya Tamano declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Ethical standards

All procedures followed were in accordance with the ethical standards of the responsible committee on human experimentation (institutional and national) and with the Helsinki Declaration of 1975, as revised in 2008. Informed consent was obtained from all residents for being included in the study.

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Uetake, C., Nakamoto, A., Suda, T. et al. Abdominal ultrasound examination training using an ultrasound phantom and volume navigation system. J Med Ultrasonics 43, 381–386 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10396-016-0706-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10396-016-0706-0

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