Phase I: interactive ultrasound simulator for sonographer training and accreditation

超声是应用最广泛的医学成像手段之一。北美每年进行的超音波研究超过8000万次。随着新的便携式超声系统的出现，新的应用正在出现，并被用于20多个专业，包括诊断成像和图像引导程序。与其他成像方式相比，超声具有许多关键优势，包括低成本、实时生成图像的能力，以及不使用电离辐射。因此，预计2023年对超声诊断员的需求将增加23%。另一方面，超声图像是出了名的难以解释，并且在很大程度上依赖于操作员在放置换能器和调整众多系统参数方面的专业知识。因此，有一个缺口是提供足够数量的训练有素的超声波技师来满足这一需求。为了加快培训，医疗保健教育正转向医学模拟设备。事实上，这一市场在2013年已大幅增长至约10亿美元，并预计将以20%的复合年增长率增长。我们开发了一种基于物理的计算方法，能够实时、依赖于操作员模拟任何超声模式，并跨越无限种类的虚拟器官和器官。与我们的竞争对手依赖预先记录的数据和经验信息不同，我们的系统模拟了超声波的物理。由于这一点以及与终端用户的早期对话，我们相信我们在能够以成本效益的方式利用操作员依赖的控制参数实时模拟临床真实图像(包括最重要的伪像)并提供市场所需的高度真实感方面具有显著优势。该提案概述了最终用户焦点小组的发展计划，以验证产品与市场的匹配。

Ultrasound is one of the most widely used medical imaging modalities. More than 80 million ultra-sound studies are conducted each year in North America. With the advent of new portable ultrasound systems, new applications are emerging and are being used in over 20 specializations, including diag-nostic imaging and image guided procedures. Compared to other imaging modalities, ultrasound has a number of key advantages, including low cost, ability to produce images in real-time, and does not use ionizing radiation.As a result, it is expected that the demand for ultrasound sonographers will increase by 23% in 2023. On the other hand, ultrasound images are notoriously difficult to interpret, and depend heavily on the expertise of the operator in placing the transducer and adjusting numerous system parameters. Conse-quently, there is a gap is supplying sufficient numbers of trained sonographers to meet this demand. To accelerate training, healthcare education is turning to medical simulation equipment. Indeed this market has grown significantly to about $1 billion in 2013 and is predicted to grow at a CAGR of 20%. We have developed a physics-based computational method that capable of real-time, operator-dependent simulation of any ultrasound mode and across an unlimited variety of virtual organs and pa-thologies. Unlike our competitors who are dependent on pre-recorded data and empirical information, our system simulates the physics of ultrasound. Because of this and early conversations with end-users, we believe we have a compelling advantage in being able to cost-effectively simulate clinically realistic images (including the most important artifacts) in real-time with operator-dependent control parameters and provide the high degree of realism that the market demands. This proposal outlines the development plan leading to end-user focus groups to validate product-market fit.