Real-time Seldinger technique simulation in complex vascular models.
OBJECTIVE
Commercial interventional radiology vascular simulators emulate instrument navigation and device deployment, though none supports the Seldinger technique, which provides initial access to the vascular tree. This paper presents a novel virtual environment for teaching this core skill.


METHODS
Our simulator combines two haptic devices: vessel puncture with a virtual needle and catheter and guidewire manipulation. The simulation software displays the instrument interactions with the vessels. Instruments are modelled using a mass-spring approximation, while efficient collision detection and collision response allow real time interactions.


RESULTS
Experienced interventional radiologists evaluated the haptic components of our simulator as realistic and accurate. The vessel puncture haptic device proposes a first prototype to simulate the Seldinger technique. Our simulator presents realistic instrument behaviour when compared to real instruments in a vascular phantom.


CONCLUSIONS
This paper presents the first simulator to train the Seldinger technique. The preliminary results confirm its utility for interventional radiology training.
Luboz
Vincent
V
Biosurgery and Surgical Technology Department, SORA, Imperial College London, St Mary's Hospital, London, UK. vluboz@imperial.ac.uk
Hughes
Chris
C
Gould
Derek
D
John
Nigel
N
Bello
Fernando
F
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002406:Catheterization, Peripheral; D003198:Computer Simulation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D015642:Radiology, Interventional / Q000193:education*; D014110:Touch; D014584:User-Computer Interface; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000628:therapy*