Simulation-Based Training May Improve Resident Skill in Ultrasound-Guided Biopsy.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to determine whether simulation-based training can improve resident performance in ultrasound-guided biopsy.


METHODS
Forty radiology residents from a single academic institution enrolled in the study. Each resident performed an initial biopsy on an abdominal imaging phantom using direct ultrasound guidance. Twenty of the residents underwent a 30-minute training session with the phantom device, and 20 residents received no additional training. The residents performed a repeat biopsy of the same lesion and were graded on overall procedure time, number of skin surface punctures, number of gross needle adjustments, and subjective performance as determined by a blinded grader.


RESULTS
Residents who participated in the training had a statistically significant 92.3-second reduction in procedure time (68% improvement, p = 0.01), 1.1 reduction in number of skin punctures per biopsy (50% improvement, p = 0.05), 2.5 reduction in number of needle adjustments (66% improvement, p = 0.04), and an increase of 0.85 points in score on a 5-point Likert grading scale (23% improvement, p < 0.01). Residents who did not receive any additional training did not improve in any performance metric.


CONCLUSIONS
Simulation-based training improves overall procedure time, number of skin punctures and needle adjustments, and subjective performance.
1 Department of Radiology, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, 11100 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44106.
Nicholas
N
Fulton
1 Department of Radiology, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, 11100 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44106.
Ji
J
Buethe
1 Department of Radiology, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, 11100 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44106.
Jayakrishna
J
Gollamudi
1 Department of Radiology, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, 11100 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44106.
Mark
M
Robbin
D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004521:Educational Measurement; D061765:Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Fine Needle Aspiration / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000379:methods*; D008953:Models, Anatomic; D009820:Ohio; D016544:Patient Simulation; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D013663:Teaching; D014584:User-Computer Interface
biopsy; education; simulation; training; ultrasound