Preliminary evaluation of the Web Initiative for Surgical Education (WISE-MD)

BACKGROUND: Major changes in health care delivery and financing have negatively impacted students' experience during the surgery clerkship, particularly their exposure to physicians' decision-making processes and to the continuity of patient care. In response to these dilemmas in surgical education, we have developed the Web Initiative for Surgical Education (WISE-MD), a comprehensive surgery clerkship curriculum delivered through multimedia teaching modules and designed to enhance exposure to surgical disease and clinical reasoning. METHODS: As part of the process of creating WISE-MD, we conducted preliminary studies to assess the impact of this computer-assisted approach on students' knowledge, clinical reasoning, and satisfaction. RESULTS: Compared to students who did not view the modules, early data show a trend toward improved knowledge and an improvement in clinical reasoning for students who used the WISE-MD modules. This effect was specific to the clinical content area addressed in the module seen by the students. Most students felt the module was superior to traditional teaching methods and enhanced their understanding of surgical technique and anatomy. CONCLUSIONS: WISE-MD, a theory-driven example of a concerted technology-based approach to surgical education, has the potential to address the myriad problems of today's clinical learning environment.     

增强现实技术的研究进展及临床应用概述

近年来,增强现实技术在军事、教育、医学等诸多领域不断发展,其基本原理是将虚拟建模图像与实际环境相结合,以增强用户对现实世界的感官。增强现实技术在各个领域均展现出了独特的优越性,尤其是在医学领域,为外科手术的精准及微创提供了全新的手段。本文就当前增强现实技术的相关进展进行综述。     

多层螺旋CT双期增强扫描结合仿真内镜成像在膀胱癌术前分期中的诊断价值

目的 探讨多层螺旋CT双期增强扫描结合仿真内镜成像在膀胱癌术前分期中的诊断价值.方法 经纤维膀胱镜或手术病理证实为膀胱癌患者75例.对患者术前螺旋CT双期增强扫描图像和仿真内镜图像进行分析,比较多层螺旋CT分期与病理分期的准确率.结果 75例患者共发现病灶94个.螺旋CT分期:T1 26例、T2a 27例、T2b 13例、T3 12例、T4 16例;病理分期:pT1 28例、pT2a 24例、pT2b 14例、pT3 12例、pT4 16例.螺旋CT双期增强扫描诊断膀胱癌准确率为89.4%(84/94);腔内息肉样病变,仿真内镜诊断敏感性96.6%(84/87);膀胱壁无蒂隆起性病变诊断敏感性为90.9%(10/11).螺旋CT双期增强扫描结合仿真内镜诊断膀胱癌分期准确率为94.5%(91/94),当肿瘤局限于膀胱壁内(≤T2b)时,诊断准确率为91.2%(51/56);肿瘤侵犯膀胱壁外结构时(≥T3),诊断准确率达100.0%(28/28).结论 多层螺旋CT双期增强扫描结合仿真内镜成像对膀胱癌术前临床分期具有重要价值.     

Impact of dose reduction and the use of an advanced model-based iterative reconstruction algorithm on spectral performance of a dual-source CT system: A task-based image quality assessment

PurposeTo assess the impact of dose reduction and the use of an advanced modeled iterative reconstruction algorithm (ADMIRE) on image quality in low-energy monochromatic images from a dual-source dual energy computed tomography CT (DSCT) platform.Materials and methodsAcquisitions on an image-quality phantom were performed using DSCT equipment with 100/Sn150 kVp for four dose levels (CTDI_vol: 20/11/8/5mGy). Raw data were reconstructed for six energy levels (40/50/60/70/80/100 keV) using filtered back projection and two levels of ADMIRE (A3/A5). Noise power spectrum (NPS) and task-based transfer function (TTF) were calculated on virtual monoenergetic images (VMIs). Detectability index (d′) was computed to model the detection task of two enhanced iodine lesions as function of keV.ResultsNoise-magnitude was significantly reduced between 40 to 70 keV by ?56 ± 0% (SD) (range: ?56%–?55%) with FBP; ?56 ± 0% (SD) (?56%–?56%) with A3; and ?57 ± 1% (SD) (range: ?57%–?56%) with A5. The average spatial frequency of the NPS peaked at 70 keV and decreased as ADMIRE level increased. TTF values at 50% were greatest at 40 keV and shifted towards lower frequencies as the keV increased. The detectability of both lesions increased with increasing dose level and ADMIRE level. For the simulated lesion with iodine at 2 mg/mL, d’ values peaked at 70 keV for all reconstruction types, except for A3 at 20 mGy and A5 at 11 and 20 mGy, where d’ peaked at 60 keV. For the other simulated lesion, d’ values were highest at 40 keV and decreased beyond.ConclusionAt low keV on VMIs, this study confirms that iterative reconstruction reduces the noise magnitude, improves the spatial resolution and increases the detectability of enhanced iodine lesions.     

Virtual placement of posterior C1-C2 transarticular screw fixation

We wanted to evaluate how often safe and effective posterior C1-C2 transarticular screw placement is realizable when it is performed according to guidelines given in the literature. In 50 adult patients, computerized tomography scan data from C0 to C3 were transformed into a 3D spine model. Virtually, bilateral screws were placed from the medial third of the C2-C3 facet joint towards the rim of the C1 anterior arc parallel to midline. Three categories of virtual screw position were rated: optimal (virtual screw inside the C2 pars interarticularis, transversing the middle third of the atlantoaxial joint, and sparing the vertebral artery canal), suboptimal (virtual screw violating the C2 pars interarticularis, and/or transversing the lower or upper third of the C1-C2 joint, and sparing vertebral artery canal), and unacceptable (virtual screw breaching the vertebral artery canal). Optimal placement was seen in 74, suboptimal placement in 11, and unacceptable locations in 15 sites. We conclude that due to the variability of the anatomy of the upper cervical spine, optimal transarticular C1-C2 screw placement is not possible in up to 26%, and even hazardous in up to 15%. This paper was presented in part at the Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie, May 25–28, 2003, Saarbrücken, Germany     

Construct validity testing of a laparoscopic surgery simulator (Lap Mentor®)

BACKGROUND: Before surgical simulators can be implemented for assessment of surgical training, their construct validity should be assessed. METHODS: Nine novices (NOV), nine medical students (MS), and nine residents (RES) underwent a laparoscopic skills training on the virtual reality (VR) simulator Lap Mentor. Assessment of laparoscopic skill was based on parameters measured by the computer system before and after training. RESULTS: Significant difference existed between RES and NOV at seven of nine tasks before training on the VR simulator. After the training in some tasks significant differences were observed between the experienced group (RES) and the nonexperienced groups (MS and NOV) or between medical groups (RES and MS) and nonmedical group (NOV). CONCLUSIONS: Performance parameters of the Lap-Mentor can be used to distinguish between subjects with varying laparoscopic experience.     

Can skills assessment on a virtual reality trainer predict a surgical trainee’s talent in laparoscopic surgery?

Background A number of studies have investigated several aspects of feasibility and validity of performance assessments with virtual reality surgical simulators. However, the validity of performance assessments is limited by the reliability of such measurements, and some issues of reliability still need to be addressed. This study aimed to evaluate the hypothesis that test subjects show logarithmic performance curves on repetitive trials for a component task of laparoscopic cholecystectomy on a virtual reality simulator, and that interindividual differences in performance after considerable training are significant. According to kinesiologic theory, logarithmic performance curves are expected and an individual’s learning capacity for a specific task can be extrapolated, allowing quantification of a person’s innate ability to develop task-specific skills. Methods In this study, 20 medical students at the University of Basel Medical School performed five trials of a standardized task on the LS 500 virtual reality simulator for laparoscopic surgery. Task completion time, number of errors, economy of instrument movements, and maximum speed of instrument movements were measured. Results The hypothesis was confirmed by the fact that the performance curves for some of the simulator measurements were very close to logarithmic curves, and there were significant interindividual differences in performance at the end of the repetitive trials. Conclusions Assessment of perceptual motor skills and the innate ability of an individual with no prior experience in laparoscopic surgery to develop such skills using the LS 500 VR surgical simulator is feasible and reliable.     

临床虚拟医学实验教学模式研发与应用的可行性分析

有必要提高现有医疗资源的利用率,建设一个网络平台来支撑医疗机构间的信息共享,临床医学虚拟实验是实验教学发展的重要方向。本文进行了临床医学虚拟实验教学管理平台研发与应用的可行性分析。     

虚拟实验在临床微生物学检验技术中的应用研究

临床微生物学检验技术实验是临床微生物学检验技术教学的重要组成部分。在临床微生物学检验技术实验教学中,将虚拟仿真技术与传统教学结合,充分发挥虚拟实验平台的优势。有些传统教学无法开展的实验项目和一些重要的实验项目,学生可以在虚拟实验平台上进行学习,并在学习完成后,参加相应的考核。两者的完美结合,可解决目前实验课实验成本过高和实验内容有限的问题,弥补传统教学的不足,实现教学资源共享,强化学生实验操作技能,提升学习兴趣;也有利于应用型医学检验技术专业人才的培养。