Details of a low cost augmented-reality system for the simulation of ultrasound guided needle insertion procedures (tissue biopsy, abscess drainage, nephrostomy etc.) for interventional radiology education is presented. The system comprises physical elements; a mannequin, an ultrasound probe and a needle, and software elements; generating virtual ultrasound anatomy and allowing data collection. These two elements are linked by a pair of magnetic 3D position sensors. Virtual anatomy, for image generation, is generated based on full body CT scans of live humans. Details of the novel aspects of this system are presented including; image generation, registration and calibration.
Abstract. Needle placement into a patient body under guidance of ultrasound is a frequently performed procedure in clinical practice. Safe and successful performance of such procedure requires a high level of spatial reasoning and hand-eye co-ordination skills, which must be developed through intensive practice. In this paper we present a training system designed to improve the skills of interventional radiology trainees in ultrasound-guided needle placement procedures. Key issues involved in the system include surface and volumetric registration, solid texture modelling, spatial calibration, and real-time synthesis and rendering of ultrasound images. Moreover, soft tissue deformation caused by the needle movement and needle cutting is realised using a mass-spring-model approach. These have led to a realistic ultrasound simulation system, which has been shown to be a useful tool for the training of needle insertion procedures. Preliminary results of a construct evaluation study indicate the effectiveness and usefulness of the developed training system.
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