Ultrasound technology’s ability to visualize soft tissues, such as organs and muscles, has vastly impacted the field of medical imaging. This diagnostic tool is able to help ultrasound technicians and other medical professionals perform precise evaluations leading to a diagnosis. Observed annually in October, Medical Ultrasound Awareness Month (MUAM) was created to increase awareness of diagnostic medical sonography, as well as the role ultrasound technologists play in healthcare. To help train ultrasound future ultrasound techs, CAE Healthcare offers ultrasound education solutions which this article will expand upon.
CAE Vimedix: CAE Vimedix is a comprehensive and easy-to-use ultrasound simulator designed to meet the training needs of sonography learners worldwide. The high-fidelity simulator facilitates the learning process for cardiac, lung, abdominal, and OB-GYN ultrasound – all on a single platform. TGAUS / TEE guidelines and training exercises are included and offer invaluable diagnostic and monitoring guidelines on cardiac, pulmonary, and abdominal structures.
CAE Vimedix has accelerated the development of essential psychomotor and cognitive skills for ultrasound probe handling, image interpretation, diagnoses, and clinical decision-making. This acceleration is guided by the product’s software, a manikin-based system, and live, remote learning features. Plus, through immersive training with the Microsoft HoloLens 2, Vimedix anatomy and structures leap to life to accelerate learning and retention. Healthcare simulation educators also benefit from Vimedix use as they will receive validated performance metrics, allowing faculty to track learners’ progress over time.
CAE Vimedix further enhances healthcare simulation training by utilizing 3D/4D scanning (for volumetric scanning in real-time with detailed views of the normal heart and advanced pathologies) and MPR visualizations. These features help ultrasound learners train across multiple disciplines and build upon their expertise, for on-the-job clinical preparedness – again, on one single platform. On this platform, learners can go on to toggle between cardiac, pulmonary, abdominal, and Ob/Gyn modalities with ease for a comprehensive ultrasound learning experience.
Vimedix also includes re-designed instructional content for better curriculum integration and user flexibility. CAE Vimedix Ob/Gyn allows learners to practice scanning an 8,12, or 20-week fetus, diagnose more than 40 fetal patient pathologies and perform standard fetal exam measurements. Users can change the sex and orientation of the fetus and learn to assess the mother’s health during pregnancy.
CAE Vimedix Cardiac is able to offer 11 new augmented reality cases for Microsoft HoloLens 2, which allow learners to separate, elevate and walk around organs and structures as they gain a better understanding of anatomy. For practicing clinicians, accessing 3-D/4-D views of the heart has become much more standard as alternatives to open heart surgery are more commonly performed. Most of these procedures require a detailed view of the internal heart structures as replacement valves or tiny devices are being placed.
To meet learners where they are, CAE Vimedix also has a remote learning component., The remote learning experience benefits from integration with video conferencing platforms simplified visual capture for virtual curriculum, remote learner scanning experiences, and presentation tools. With a range of instructional content, can tailor their curricula for optimal learning.
ICCU: ICCU eLearning offers more than 25 hours of didactic content on ultrasound assessment of the heart, lungs, as well as central and peripheral vessels. Additionally, hands-on seminars, a FOCUS reference guide, and an online, collaborative community round out the solution with opportunities for continuing guidance and skills development.
Available by subscription to individuals or institutions, ICCU is accessible online and via any mobile platform. The institutional license format allows tailored learning solutions and immediate, online performance assessment. The curriculum is based on guidelines from the International Consensus Statement on Training Standards for Critical Care Ultrasonography, which was organized by the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine.
Furthermore, ICCU is endorsed by the American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST), the Canadian Critical Care Society (CCCS), the Critical Care Education Network and the University of Montreal. ICCU is recognized for CME credits by the American Medical Association (AMA) and by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCSPC).
Blue Phantom: Blue Phantom ultrasound training models provide immersive experiences bridging the gap between theory and practice. Engineered to match the acoustic characteristics of human tissue, the CAE Blue Phantom patented Simulex tissue is compatible with any real diagnostic ultrasound imaging system. The tissue heals itself following needle sticks.
After any ultrasound-guided interventional procedure using 18-21-gauge, sharp, unbent needles, the Simulex tissue will automatically seal around the area where the needle was placed, eliminating leaks. An independent research study performed by the Naval Medical Center and ChristianaCare confirmed that any Blue Phantom model can endure at least 1,000 needle sticks before it needs to be replaced.
“With CAE Blue Phantom products, we have trained hundreds of physicians, nurses, and allied health professionals in the techniques for safe ultrasound-guided vascular access. The customer service and support from CAE have been exceptional. The orders are filled promptly, and all inquiries have received an immediate and appropriate response,” said Michael Marsh, MHA, Assistant Director, Operations University of Michigan, Clinical Simulation Center.
More About CAE Healthcare
CAE Healthcare, a division of Canadian-based CAE, is among the world leaders in developing cutting-edge healthcare simulation learning tools for today’s professional healthcare providers. The company strives to deliver educational tools that best help healthcare professionals provide safe high-quality patient care. CAE Healthcare has an extraordinarily vast area of simulated products ranging from manikins, interventional and imaging systems, and AV recording debriefing / Learning Management Systems.
CAE Healthcare has a unique and wide range of manikins for simulation-based medical education including the Human Patient Simulator (HPS), Apollo (pre-hospital and nursing), Ares (emergency medicine simulator), Lucina (obstetric simulator), Luna (neonatal simulator), and Aria (pediatric simulator). Most of these high-fidelity medical simulation manikins now run on CAE Healthcare’s patented Maestro software. As one of the original innovators of medical simulation technology, CAE Healthcare has continued to innovate new learning products and solutions that support the world’s healthcare industry.
For example, in addition to a wide range of mid- and high-fidelity simulators, they also provide audiovisual debriefing solutions, such as CAE LearningSpace, their learning management system. They also offer a range of interventional simulators, including CAE CathLabVR, as well as the Vimedix ultrasound simulator, the only ultrasound simulator to use multiplanar reconstruction and 3D/4D scanning.
