The use of simulation in medical ultrasound: Current perspectives on applications and practical implementation (WFUMB state-of-the-art paper).

Simulation has been shown to improve clinical learning outcomes, speed up the learning process, and improve trainee confidence, while taking the pressure off initial face-to-face patient clinical areas. The second part of The World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology state-of-the-art paper on the use of simulators provides a general approach on the practical implementation. The importance of needs assessment before developing a simulation-based training program is outlined.

The ultrasound use of simulators, current view, and perspectives: Requirements and technical aspects (WFUMB state of the art paper).

Simulation has been shown to improve clinical learning outcomes, speed up the learning process and improve learner confidence, whilst initially taking pressure off busy clinical lists. The World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology (WFUMB) state of the art paper on the use of simulators in ultrasound education introduces ultrasound simulation, its advantages and challenges. It describes different simulator types, including low and high-fidelity simulators, the requirements and technical aspects of simulators, followed by the clinical applications of ultrasound simulation.

Artificial intelligence versus expert: a comparison of rapid visual inferior vena cava collapsibility assessment between POCUS experts and a deep learning algorithm.

Objectives: We sought to create a deep learning algorithm to determine the degree of inferior vena cava (IVC) collapsibility in critically ill patients to enable novice point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) providers.

Methods: We used publicly available long short term memory (LSTM) deep learning basic architecture that can track temporal changes and relationships in real-time video, to create an algorithm for ultrasound video analysis. The algorithm was trained on public domain IVC ultrasound videos to improve its ability to recognize changes in varied ultrasound video.

Proceedings: Beyond Ultrasound First Forum on Improving the Quality of Ultrasound Imaging in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

The Beyond Ultrasound First Forum was conceived to increase awareness that the quality of obstetric and gynecologic ultrasound can be improved, and is inconsistent throughout the country, likely due to multiple factors, including the lack of a standardized curriculum and competency assessment in ultrasound teaching. The forum brought together representatives from many professional associations; the imaging community including radiology, obstetrics and gynecology, and emergency medicine among others; in addition to government agencies, insurers, industry, and others with common interest in obstetric and gynecologic ultrasound. This group worked together in focus sessions aimed at developing solutions on how to standardize and improve ultrasound training at the resident level and beyond.

Proceedings: Beyond Ultrasound First Forum on improving the quality of ultrasound imaging in obstetrics and gynecology.

The Beyond Ultrasound First Forum was conceived to increase awareness that the quality of obstetric and gynecologic ultrasound can be improved, and is inconsistent throughout the country, likely due to multiple factors, including the lack of a standardized curriculum and competency assessment in ultrasound teaching. The forum brought together representatives from many professional associations; the imaging community including radiology, obstetrics and gynecology, and emergency medicine among others; in addition to government agencies, insurers, industry, and others with common interest in obstetric and gynecologic ultrasound. This group worked together in focus sessions aimed at developing solutions on how to standardize and improve ultrasound training at the resident level and beyond.

Effects of simulation-based practice on focused assessment with sonography for trauma (FAST) window identification, acquisition, and diagnosis.

We compared the effects of simulator-based virtual ultrasound scanning practice with classroom-based ultrasound scanning practice on participants' knowledge of focused assessment with sonography for trauma (FAST) window quadrants and interpretation, and on participants' performance on live patient FAST examinations. Novices with little or no ultrasound training experience received simulation-based practice (n = 24) or classroom-based practice (n = 24). Participants who received simulation-based practice scored significantly higher on interpreting static images of FAST windows.

Patient-specific cases for an ultrasound training simulator.

We present a laptop-based ultrasound training simulator and a novel method for creation of patient-specific training datasets. The simulator consists of a laptop computer, a peripheral probe interface device with an embedded three-degree-of-freedom orientation sensor, a virtual US probe, a virtual patient model, a simulated US brightness scan (B-scan). Simulated B-scans are rendered from US volumes, which are synthesized using volume reconstruction methods from two-dimensional US imagery captured in a data acquisition stage from clinical patients.

The FMA database browser: a key component of an interactive image visualization pipeline.

University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) Center for Advanced Surgical and Interventional Technology (CASIT) researchers are developing an interactive image visualization pipeline with the ability to rapidly visualize and efficiently interact with patient-specific image datasets. The pipeline enables patient-specific image datasets acquired in a Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) format to be converted into a three-dimensional (3D) deformable format that facilitates future simulation-based interactivity. UCLA CASIT researchers have developed a standalone FMA database browser which provides manual assignment of Foundation Model of Anatomy (FMA) identification codes (IDCs) to surfaces generated from patient-specific DICOM format data and to the reference 3D model.

Cardiac tamponade presenting as an apparent life-threatening event.

The initial emergency department (ED) evaluation of infants with an apparent life-threatening event (ALTE) often fails to identify a definitive cause for the event. Many children that present with an ALTE appear normal by the time they arrive to the ED. These factors can desensitize clinicians into prematurely discounting serious underlying causes of the ALTE or being less prompt in their evaluation of these patients.

Emergency department presentations of pediatric congenital heart disease.

Numerous studies have described the pathophysiology, clinical manifestations, and treatment of the many forms of congenital heart disease (CHD), but none has specifically addressed the reasons CHD patients present to the Emergency Department (ED). The objective of this study was to provide a descriptive analysis of the ED presentations of acute and seriously ill pediatric CHD patients. We intended to capture a subset of acutely ill CHD patients who had presenting signs and symptoms that were potentially attributable to their underlying CHD.

Evaluation of Orthotopic Liver Transplant Recipients Presenting to the Emergency Department.

Improved survival rates and more centers performing liver transplantation have resulted in increasing numbers of liver transplant recipients presenting to emergency departments. This article familiarizes emergency physicians with orthotopic liver transplantation and complications that cause liver transplant recipients to visit EDs. Savitsky EA, Üner AB, Votey SR: Evaluation of orthotopic liver transplant recipients presenting to the emergency department.