Simulation of Medical Procedures using Virtual Environments

Training in Interventional Radiology and Surgery has traditionally followed the apprentice method which is both time comsuming and may result in discomfort and some risk to patients. Virtual Environments have the potential to provide a learning environment away from the operating table where trainees and experienced clincians may reheasrse procedures safety.

A number of projects are currently being undertaken in the School of Computing between the Vision and Visualization and Virtual Reality research groups, to develop Virtual Environemnts for clinical training. The School is also a member of CRAIVE which is a UK multi disciplinary group interested in the development of Virtual Environments for procedures in Interventional Radiology.

Simulation of Ultrasound Guided Needle Insertion Procedures

Derek Magee, Yanong Zhu, David Kessel and Rish Ratnalingam

Physics-based virtual environment for training in vascular interventional radiological procedures

Yi Song, Ken Brodlie, Andy Bulpitt and David Kessel

The aim of this project is to develop and validate a computer generated virtual environment (VE) with variable virtual anatomy, in which the appearance, 'feel' and human factors of invasive radiological procedures (interventional radiology, IR) in patients can be reproduced and assessed. The final product will encompass needle puncture as well as guidewire and catheter insertion and manipulation, and will be based on a task analysis of interventional procedures. We are developing methods of semi-automatically processing medical imaging data to create a variable range of 3D geometry of anatomy.
For ultimate fidelity, we will determine and localise the forces experienced by an operator during IR procedures in patients using miniature sensors, enabling the 'feel' of a real procedure to be accurately reproduced. This will allow us to simulate needle puncture, and introduction of a guidewire and catheter into a blood vessel, with realistic behaviour of tissue and vessels. At the same time we will reproduce the feel of a pulse to guide instrumentation of an artery using a novel device which mimics a patient's physiological pulse. Simulated ultrasound will also guide needle puncture of an artery, and fluoroscopy will be simulated for guidance of the guidewire and catheter as they are manipulated within an artery. Finally, we will validate the VE and assess its potential for training and certification. We will also make suggestions for inclusion in curricula and criteria for certification. The VE developed in this project will be generic, capable of incorporation into an existing system, or of forming the basis of a new generation of systems applicable to training.

This project started in November 2006 and is being funded by the EPSRC.

Collaborators: University of Liverpool, University of Hull, University of Wales Bangor, University of Leeds, Imperial College London, Manchester Business School.

More information on the project can be found here.

Development and Validation of a Virtual Reality Simulator for Training in Interventional Radiological Visceral Needle Puncture Procedures

Richard Holbrey, Ken Brodlie, Andy Bulpitt and David Kessel

This proposal¿s aim is to develop and validate a virtual reality (VR) simulator for training visceral interventional radiology (IR) needle puncture procedures which use medical imaging and touch to guide needles. The skills required are currently learnt in an apprenticeship in patients: this is time consuming and inevitably associated with discomfort and occasionally, complications. We are using a computer to generate variable virtual environments (VE) from imaging data, with stereo, 3D visual presentation and devices conveying touch sensation (haptics) to realistically mimic procedures on patients. This VR training model will be based on a Task Analysis of procedures and will simulate accurately the forces encountered during IR procedures. It will be validated to confirm suitability for training and certification within existing curricula, and the Royal College of Radiologists¿ (RCR) Integrated Training Initiative. The project end point of a pre-market, validated, authentic simulation of IR needle access procedures will remove this area of basic skills training from patients, improve safety and efficiency in the NHS and reduce the time to attain and maintain higher levels of competence.

This project started in November 2006 and is being funded by the Department of Health under the Health Technology Devices (HTD) Programme.

Collaborators: Medic Vision, University of Liverpool, University of Hull, University of Wales Bangor, University of Leeds, Imperial College London, Manchester Business School.

Virtual Suturing in Vascular Surgery

Recreating a surgical environment using virtual tools presents a number of research challenges. Conventional collision detection methods fail for deformable bodies and do not provide a mechanism to scale the response over different regions at the same time. We have developed a threaded collision test allowing the mesh to be updated whilst guaranteeing a smooth force response for haptic devices. The Finite Element Method (FEM) is adapted to allow multiple points of contact to allow 2-handed interaction and nd a novel scheme is introduced for simulating more realistic force responses using a bi-phase model of material properties of blood vessels.

Image of Virtual Surgery Simulation at Leeds

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Maintained by Andy Bulpitt
Last updated: 20-May-2004