title: Real-time visualisation and analysis of internal examinations--seeing the unseen.
abstract: Internal examinations such as Digital Rectal Examination (DRE) and bimanual Vaginal Examination (BVE) are routinely performed for early diagnosis of cancer and other diseases. Although they are recognised as core skills to be taught on a medical curriculum, they are difficult to learn and teach due to their unsighted nature. We present a framework that combines a visualisation and analysis tool with position and pressure sensors to enable the study of internal examinations and provision of real-time feedback. This approach is novel as it allows for real-time continuous trajectory and pressure data to be obtained for the complete examination, which may be used for teaching and assessment. Experiments were conducted performing DRE and BVE on benchtop models, and BVE on Gynaecological Teaching Assistants (GTA). The results obtained suggest that the proposed methodology may provide an insight into what constitutes an adequate DRE or BVE, provide real-time feedback tools for learning and assessment, and inform haptics-based simulator design.
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Granados
authors.forename: Niels
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hald
authors.forename: Aimee
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Di Marco
authors.forename: Shahla
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: Naomi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Low-Beer
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Higham
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kneebone
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bello
mesh_terms: D003196:Computer Graphics / Q000295:instrumentation; D003936:Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D010173:Palpation / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D014110:Touch; D014159:Transducers; D014584:User-Computer Interface