September 2, 2009
Launch of Vimedix Transthoracic Echo Simulator System Generates Global Interest in Medical Imaging, Education Communities
Introduced at a recent ICCU Imaging ultrasound seminar in Chicago, an innovative transthoracic echocardiography simulator system developed by the Montreal company VIMEDIX is attracting worldwide interest as a revolutionary training tool.
The cutting-edge simulation system, which draws on extensive local expertise in the cardiology and virtual reality computer technology fields, allows physicians, medical students and other healthcare professionals to derive a highly realistic echo experience, from hand-eye coordination and probe handling to pathology recognition.
“The use of bedside ultrasound complements physical examination and is, in some cases, superior to it. The important additional information it brings in the acute care setting has the potential to save lives,” said Dr. Yanick Beaulieu, a cardiologist-echocardiographer and intensive-care specialist at Montreal’s Sacre-Coeur Hospital who conducted the Chicago seminar. “The bottleneck to a more widespread use of these systems is training. The VIMEDIX simulator will facilitate the diffusion and utilization of bedside ultrasound by helping to train more physicians.”
The technology developed by VIMEDIX Virtual Medical Imaging Training Systems Inc. provides real-time dynamic imaging, using a mannequin, probe and sophisticated software – with many echo features simulated for the first time in virtual reality – thereby enabling a realistic echo assessment of cardiac structures.
“Pathology recognition is an essential aspect of echo training,” said Dr. Beaulieu. “With traditional clinical education, exposure to pathologies depends on patient turnaround. Certain less common pathologies may thus be seen for the first time when a patient presents with it. In this setting, the clinician/sonographer may fail to identify the pertinent pathological findings because of lack of previous exposure. Simulation allows the trainee to be exposed to multiple pathologies, both common and uncommon ones. It allows the clinician to be trained to perform image acquisition, image interpretation, and clinical management through the use of various clinical scenarios”.
Dr. Susan Moffatt, an ICU physician from Kingston, Ontario (Canada) who was among the attendees of the ICCU seminar, described the simulator as “a terrific learning tool that eliminates some of the technical confounders in ‘real life’, which can make the process of scanning so difficult that a beginner despairs. With the simulator, we could acquire good images that we had to analyze. In this sense, the simulator helped us to improve both our ‘hand and head’ skills of scanning. The simulator was by far the best part of all the demonstrations. I wanted to take one home!”
Emerging from the presentation and demonstration of the VIMEDIX simulator, Dr. John Rickelman, an intensivist from Kirksville, Missouri (USA), was similarly impressed. “That’s how anatomy should be taught,” he remarked. “For orientation, this simulator is better than any anatomy textbook.”
Theodore J. Nielsen RT, RDMS, Director - Critical Care at SonoSite, Inc. noted: "The cardiac ultrasound simulator incorporates an external ‘texture and feel’ that contributes to the technology advancements of the phantom. This component combined with the ability to demonstrate cardiac pathology initiates a great potential for ultrasound simulation".The launch of the VIMEDIX simulator system has generated widespread interest on five continents, from university and simulation centres, echo training providers, the scientific and echo communities, and simulation devices distributors. In the days following the seminar, the company had calls from authors of echo reference textbooks, community colleges and major corporations that wanted to discuss implementing or using VIMEDIX’s technology. “The interest in our simulator comes from many medical specialties, and I believe it reflects the democratization of this particular imaging modality,” stated Dr. Robert Amyot, the president and co-founder of VIMEDIX who teaches clinical cardiology and echocardiography at Montreal’s Sacré-Cœur Hospital. “Our system will be a major medical breakthrough in promoting the accessibility of echocardiography as a most effective diagnostic modality.”
