Virtual neonatal echocardiographic training system

Abstract

A neonatal echocardiography training apparatus including (i) a computer; (ii) a life-sized doll mannequin; (iii) a magnetic tracking system including (a) a control module connected to the computer; (b) a magnetic pulse wave generator positioned behind the mannequin and connected to the control module; (c) a sensor-fitted transducer configured to detect magnetic pulse waves from the generator and connected to the control module; and wherein the control module reads data from the generator and transducer and transmits the data to the computer. A method of displaying continuous video clips obtained from slicing of multiple 4D echocardiographic image volumes and 2D video clips activated from the coordinates of specific slices of 4D volumes is described. These echocardiographic images are displayed when a trainee positions the transducer on the desired cardiac acoustic window on the mannequin.

1 . A neonatal echocardiographic simulator comprising:
 (i) a neonatal mannequin;   (ii) a magnetic tracking system comprising:
 (a) a control module connected to a computer; 
 (b) a magnetic pulse wave generator positioned on the mannequin and connected to the control module; 
 (c) a transducer fitted with a sensor, said transducer configured to detect magnetic pulse waves from the generator and connected to the control module; the control module reading data from the generator and the transducer, and transmitting the data to the computer; 
   (iii) a display monitor and a memory, the memory comprising;
 (a) data comprising exactly seven 4D echocardiographic image volumes taken from five echocardiographic windows of neonate patients, including left parasternal, apical, subcostal, right parasternal and suprasternal, each 4D echocardiographic image volume recorded directly from the neonate patients using a window selected from the five echocardiographic windows and then virtually positioned under a corresponding window on the mannequin; 
 (b) said exactly seven 4D echocardiographic image volumes include exactly one volume located under the left parasternal window, exactly one volume located under the apical window, exactly two volumes located under the subcoastal window, exactly one volume located under the right parasternal window, and exactly two volumes located under the suprasternal window; 
 (c) a specific 4D echocardiographic image volume obtained by using a specific acoustic window in the neonate patients is positioned under and oriented to the corresponding window on the mannequin for slicing to generate real-time 2D echocardiographic simulation; 
 (d) the slicing of the specific 4D echocardiographic image volume done from a point on the mannequin corresponding to the window associated with the specific 4D echocardiographic image volume; 
 (e) separate data comprising a plurality of video clips are stored in a video clip library in the memory of the computer, the computer establishing a linkage between the plurality of video clips in the video clip library with the exactly seven 4D echocardiographic image volumes; and 
 (f) the linkage being established using coordinates from 26 clinically significant slices from the exactly seven 4D echocardiographic image volumes to trigger specific video clips from the video clip library. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor-fitted transducer comprises a 6DOF sensor. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the magnetic tracking system tracks specific XYZ positions and yaw, pitch and roll orientations of the transducer in relation to the mannequin. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the data transmitted to the computer comprises XYZ positions and yaw, pitch and roll orientations of the transducer in relation to the mannequin. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the XYZ positions of the transducer are in one or more echocardiographic windows on the mannequin. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the data comprising the 4D echocardiographic volumes comprise slices by yaw, pitch and roll orientations of the transducer which control cutting planes of the 4D volumes stored in the computer. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the data comprising the 4D echocardiographic volumes comprise data sliced from an apex of the image volume located in the echocardiographic window to yield a 2D video loop operable for display on the computer. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the 4D echocardiographic volumes are arrayed in specific orientation to enable detailed imaging from all echocardiographic windows. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein non-transitory program instructions associated with the computer transmit data relative to a specific window, said specific window selected from the five echocardiographic windows on a chest of the mannequin, and transmitting of the data relative to the specific window initiated when the sensor of the transducer is located at the specific window on the mannequin. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of video clips comprises 2D color flow, Doppler and M-Mode video clips obtained from the neonate patients to cover a range of echocardiographic evaluation in the neonate patients. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the data comprising the 4D echocardiographic image volumes are arrayed in a specific orientation and location to enable slicing according to yaw, pitch and roll orientations to display 2D video loops on the computer. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the 2D video loops are obtained from the yaw, pitch and roll orientations of the transducer. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of 2D color flow, Doppler and M-Mode video clips are displayed according to coordinates of specific slices of the 4D echocardiographic image volumes. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein coordinates of 26 specific slices of the 4D echocardiographic image volumes are tracked in the memory of the computer. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein for each coordinate of a specific slice, the control module transmits data to the computer and the computer displays a specific set of video clips. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the apparatus comprises the non-transitory machine-readable program instructions transmitting data according to a transducer position, transmitted data comprising 2D video loops obtained from 4D echocardiographic volumes and video clips of color flow, Doppler and M-mode obtained from coordinates of specific slices of the 4D echocardiographic volumes. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a 3D model of a heart is stored in the memory of the computer and the apparatus comprises non-transitory machine-readable program instructions operable to display the 3D model of the heart on a side window on the display monitor. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the program instructions are also operable according to a transducer position and orientation of slicing planes of the 4D volumes, which are duplicated on the 3D model of the heart displayed in the side window on the display monitor, and 2D video loops obtained from the 4D echocardiographic volumes and video clips of color flow, Doppler and M-mode obtained from coordinates of specific slices of the 4D echocardiographic volumes are displayed on a main window of the display monitor. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising non-transitory machine-readable program instructions operable to capture a displayed video of 2D echocardiogram, color flow Doppler, spectral Doppler and M-Mode for measurements of echocardiographic parameter. 
     
     
         20 . A neonatal echocardiographic simulator comprising:
 (i) a neonatal mannequin;   (ii) a magnetic tracking system comprising:
 (a) a control module connected to a computer; 
 (b) a magnetic pulse wave generator positioned on the mannequin and connected to the control module; 
 (c) a transducer fitted with a sensor, said transducer configured to detect magnetic pulse waves from the generator and connected to the control module; the control module reading data from the generator and the transducer, and transmitting the data to the computer; 
   (iii) a display monitor and a memory, the memory comprising;
 (a) data comprising exactly seven 4D echocardiographic image volumes taken from five echocardiographic windows of neonate patients, including left parasternal, apical, subcostal, right parasternal and suprasternal, each 4D echocardiographic image volume recorded directly from the neonate patients using a window selected from the five echocardiographic windows and then virtually positioned under a corresponding window on the mannequin; 
 (b) said exactly seven 4D echocardiographic image volumes include exactly one volume located under the left parasternal window, exactly one volume located under the apical window, exactly two volumes located under the subcoastal window, exactly one volume located under the right parasternal window, and exactly two volumes located under the suprasternal window; 
 (c) a specific 4D echocardiographic image volume obtained by using a specific acoustic window in the neonate patients is positioned under and oriented to the corresponding window on the mannequin for slicing to generate real-time 2D echocardiographic simulation; 
 (d) the slicing of the specific 4D echocardiographic image volume done from a point on the mannequin corresponding to the window associated with the specific 4D echocardiographic image volume; 
 (e) separate data comprising a plurality of video clips are stored in a video clip library in the memory of the computer, the computer establishing a linkage between the plurality of video clips in the video clip library with the exactly seven 4D echocardiographic image volumes; 
 (f) the linkage being established using coordinates from 26 clinically significant slices from the exactly seven 4D echocardiographic image volumes to trigger specific video clips from the video clip library; 
 (g) non-transitory program instructions associated with the computer transmit data relative to a specific window, said specific window selected from the five echocardiographic windows on a chest of the mannequin, and transmitting of the data relative to the specific window initiated when the sensor of the transducer is located at the specific window on the mannequin; 
 (h) the non-transitory machine-readable program instructions transmitting the data comprising the 2D video loops obtained from the 4D echocardiographic volumes and video clips of color flow, Doppler and M-mode obtained from the coordinates of specific slices of the 4D echocardiographic volumes, the 2D video loops and the video clips being displayed on a main window of the display monitor; and 
 (i) the non-transitory machine-readable program instructions further operable to display a 3D model of a heart on a side window of the display monitor, the 3D model of the heart being stored in the memory of the computer.