A web-based modern ultrasound diagnostic scanner simulation (SimulUS) from high-school students for undergraduate medical e-learning education

Abstract

Purpose: A unique interactive software has been developed to support E-teaching of students and teachers in medical studies. The functions and settings of a modern ultrasound imaging platform/console (B-/M-Mode, Colour-, Spectral-, Power-Doppler) are simulated to allow users to learn interactively the basic handling and main knobology of an imaging equipment as real as possible. Material and methods: The tool is designed as an HTML-based application to use it with common web-browsers being most flexible for its operation on different back-end devices used by students and account for their mobile learning behaviour. On the other hand this design chosen make it possible to access the tool as web-based (server-based) or standalone (downloadable from our lab's website) application. Only one external plugin is needed to run this web-based tool because it was originally layouted and developed with Visual Studio by high school students within a funded summer school program of 4 weeks (FFG Talente 2015, project # 851538). Results: Within this simulation the basic functions like selection of transducers, TGC, gain, focal setting, penetration depth etc. have been implemented to explain the essential settings that have to be changed/optimised during a real ultrasound examination. The changes can be seen interactively as live images within the displayed B-Mode image. Additionally the scanner simulates M-Mode as well as Spectral-, Colour- or Power-Doppler features (Fig. 1). Conclusion: This simulation seems to be an e-learning tool with effective application potential in our medical curriculum or for self-learning at home. It allows reducing temporal and equipment resources in hands-on sessions/skills-labs and fits the personal needs of students.