Integrating Innovative Handheld Portable Cordless Ultrasound‐Probe‐System with Artificial Intelligence for Pre‐Healthcare Students in Human Cadaver Lab Course

Abstract

INTRODUCTIONThe importance of ultrasound regarding its depth and breadth across medical fields continues to expand in development and use while affordability improves for the user and patient. Sonoanatomy is important for interpreting the anatomical architecture adjacent to the probe. Medical educators responsible for teaching ultrasound are faced with two obstacles, teaching how to drive the ultrasound technology and understanding the surface, static and dynamic sonoanatomy of the regions of the body.AIMThe aim of this study was to identify and teach sonoanatomy with ultrasound which limits or removes driving the knobology associated with traditional ultrasound technology.METHODSLiterature search was conducted to identify an ultrasound probe system which is handheld, cordless, with no buttons and uses artificial intelligence to provide diagnostic quality imaging. An upper division baccalaureate semester cadaver dissection course (pre healthcare Gen Z students N=14) which included sonoanatomy teaching and examination with a traditional cart ultrasound probe system was the arena to introduce such technology. Students rotated during every dissection lab to practice ultrasound probe positioning, image acquisition and anatomy interpretation.RESULTSClarius handheld wireless multiprobe ultrasound‐probe‐system compatible with Apple and Android mobile devices was identified and used equally with traditional cart ultrasound. Students were successfully taught surface and regional sonoanatomy in lectures and tutorials using exam results.DISCUSSIONClarius is shock and water resistant and utilizes automated AI with a real time automated time‐gain‐compensation (TGC) engine. Traditional ultrasound systems require users adjusting several TGC controls (knobs) to optimize imaging and often when changing scanning planes, attenuation variance forces users to adjust TGC often resulting in failed images adding to the learning curve. Clarius automated AI overrides user interaction with TGC controls if desired. Analyzing each single ultrasound image captured during scanning at rates of 30 frames per second, gain can be tuned with high level precision to 1mm, all in real‐time, with instant feedback resulting in quality images.CONCLUSIONStudents preferred not having to adjust knobs and performed better acquiring quality images with Clarius probe system on cadaver and simulation exercises then with a traditional ultrasound cart system. This pilot project suggests more Clarius ultrasound studies could be used to train novices in healthcare.