BACKGROUND: In evaluating the effectiveness of ultrasound as a screening tool for craniosynostosis it was discovered that sonologists and sonographers needed more experience scanning and visualizing cranial sutures on ultrasound. OBJECTIVE: To create an ultrasound simulator to train radiologists and technologists to locate and recognize patent and fused cranial sutures in children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The hypoechoic appearance of patent sutures was simulated by cutting lines into life-sized plastic doll heads and filling them with a commercial hypoechogenic material. Fused hyperechoic sutures were simulated by not cutting into the hard plastic region of a suture. The simulator's teaching value was evaluated on three radiology residents and three fellows. Subjects performed pre-training scans on unknown simulators, received feedback and an opportunity to scan a training simulator, and then performed post-training scans on random unknown simulators. Accuracy was recorded as percentage of correctly demonstrated sutures. RESULTS: The suture simulator reproduces the sonographic appearance of patent and fused cranial sutures. Accuracy of acquisition, interpretation, and overall diagnosis increased from 64 to 91%, 79 to 91%, 61 to 97%, respectively, between pre and post training scans. CONCLUSION: An ultrasound simulator can reproduce the appearance of patent and fused cranial sutures in children and can be used to train radiologists and technologists in the performance of a screening protocol.
BACKGROUND: In evaluating the effectiveness of ultrasound as a screening tool for craniosynostosis it was discovered that sonologists and sonographers needed more experience scanning and visualizing cranial sutures on ultrasound. OBJECTIVE: To create an ultrasound simulator to train radiologists and technologists to locate and recognize patent and fused cranial sutures in children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The hypoechoic appearance of patent sutures was simulated by cutting lines into life-sized plastic doll heads and filling them with a commercial hypoechogenic material. Fused hyperechoic sutures were simulated by not cutting into the hard plastic region of a suture. The simulator's teaching value was evaluated on three radiology residents and three fellows. Subjects performed pre-training scans on unknown simulators, received feedback and an opportunity to scan a training simulator, and then performed post-training scans on random unknown simulators. Accuracy was recorded as percentage of correctly demonstrated sutures. RESULTS: The suture simulator reproduces the sonographic appearance of patent and fused cranial sutures. Accuracy of acquisition, interpretation, and overall diagnosis increased from 64 to 91%, 79 to 91%, 61 to 97%, respectively, between pre and post training scans. CONCLUSION: An ultrasound simulator can reproduce the appearance of patent and fused cranial sutures in children and can be used to train radiologists and technologists in the performance of a screening protocol.
Authors: B S Hertzberg; M A Kliewer; J D Bowie; B A Carroll; D H DeLong; L Gray; R C Nelson Journal: AJR Am J Roentgenol Date: 2000-05 Impact factor: 3.959
Authors: Wayne L Monsky; Deborah Levine; Tejas S Mehta; Robert A Kane; Amitai Ziv; Bernadette Kennedy; Harvey Nisenbaum Journal: AJR Am J Roentgenol Date: 2002-01 Impact factor: 3.959
Authors: M W Vannier; C F Hildebolt; J L Marsh; T K Pilgram; W H McAlister; G D Shackelford; C J Offutt; R H Knapp Journal: Radiology Date: 1989-12 Impact factor: 11.105