JUM
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Martinelli, T.
Right arrow Articles by Cinquin, P.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Martinelli, T.
Right arrow Articles by Cinquin, P.
© 2007 by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine
J Ultrasound Med 26:1611-1616 • 0278-4297

Technical Advance

Robot-Based Tele-Echography

Clinical Evaluation of the TER System in Abdominal Aortic Exploration

Thomas Martinelli, MD, Jean-Luc Bosson, MD, PhD, Luc Bressollette, MD, PhD, Franck Pelissier, PhD, Eric Boidard, PhD, Jocelyne Troccaz, PhD and Philippe Cinquin, MD, PhD

Departments of Radiology (T.M.) and Information and Informatics (P.C.) and Clinical Research Center (J.-L.B.), Grenoble University Hospital, Grenoble, France; Department of Vascular Medicine, Brest University Hospital, Brest, France (L.B.); France Telecom Research and Development, Grenoble, France (F.P.); and Techniques de l’Ingénierie Médicale et de la Complexité–Informatique, Mathématiques et Applications de Grenoble, Unité Mixte de Recherche, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique–Université Joseph Fourier, Grenoble, France (J.-L.B., E.B., J.T., P.C.).

Address correspondence to Thomas Martinelli, MD, Service Central de Radiologie et Imagerie Médicale, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Grenoble, BP 217, 38043 Grenoble Cedex 9, France. E-mail: tmartinelli{at}chu-grenoble.fr

Objective. The TER system is a robot-based tele-echography system allowing remote ultrasound examination. The specialist moves a mock-up of the ultrasound probe at the master site, and the robot reproduces the movements of the real probe, which sends back ultrasound images and force feedback. This tool could be used to perform ultrasound examinations in small health care centers or from isolated sites. The objective of this study was to prove, under real conditions, the feasibility and reliability of the TER system in detecting abdominal aortic and iliac aneurysms. Methods. Fifty-eight patients were included in 2 centers in Brest and Grenoble, France. The remote examination was compared with the reference standard, the bedside examination, for aorta and iliac artery diameter measurement, detection and description of aneurysms, detection of atheromatosis, the duration of the examination, and acceptability. Results. All aneurysms (8) were detected by both techniques as intramural thrombosis and extension to the iliac arteries. The interobserver correlation coefficient was 0.982 (P < .0001) for aortic diameters. The rate of concordance between 2 operators in evaluating atheromatosis was 84% ± 11% (95% confidence interval). Conclusions. Our study on 58 patients suggests that the TER system could be a reliable, acceptable, and effective robot-based system for performing remote abdominal aortic ultrasound examinations. Research is continuing to improve the equipment for general abdominal use.

Key Words: abdominal cavity • aorta • remote operations • ultrasound

Abbreviations: AAA, abdominal aortic aneurysm

HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 2007 by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.