US training system for ultrasound-guided thoracic interventions

Introduction: A training system for ultrasound-guided thoracic interventions was developed. The system was designed for a core needle biopsy (CNB) procedure in combination to a custom, pseudo-anthropomorphic lung phantom. Methods: A dedicated phantom was fabricated (Arteaga-Marrero et al. Gels 2023;9:74) to accurately replicate the healthy lung parenchyma as well as pathologies, like abscesses and neoplasms, as solid inclusions. 3D printed ribs were included to provide realism and a higher level of difficulty. The ultrasound (US) training system employed an optical tracking system (OptiTrack V120), a portable US device (Telemed MicrUs EXT-1H L12 Probe),a biopsy needle (Bard 22mm), and other tools required for calibration. The fixtures to allocate the optical trackers were 3D printed. In addition to the 3D models of the system’s components, a virtual and reconstructed model of each phantom was generated. The integration of the system was carried out using Plus Toolkit and the image computing platform 3D Slicer. The training system was complemented with a custom extension implemented in Python. Results: The capabilities of the system were tested by an experienced pulmonologist and medical students training in US-guided interventions. In-plane and out-of-plane needle insertions were performed simulating CNB procedures which are often employed in a clinical setting. Subsequently, the system provided a quantitative report that indicated the level of success of the procedure carried out. Conclusion: Technical considerations and acquired expertise are required to ensure patient safety. Thus, the presented system is dedicated to aid clinical practitioners to be trained in US-guided interventional thoracic procedures.