Concept of Operations Evaluation for Using Remote-Guidance Ultrasound for Exploration Spaceflight

Abstract

RG produces US images of higher quality than those produced with only computer-based instruction. Extended communication delays in exploration missions will eliminate the option of real-time guidance, thus requiring autonomous operation. The computer program used appears effective and could be a model for future digital US expertise banks. Terrestrially, it also provides adequate self-training and mentoring mechanisms.

Arterial structure and function during and after long-duration spaceflight

“…These practice sessions included mock data collection for each image to be captured. During spaceflight the astronauts acquired carotid and brachial artery images with remote guidance, a technique in which astronauts received near-real-time instruction regarding ultrasound probe placement, image quality, and equipment operation (39). Sonographers viewed video from the ultrasound and from a camera on ISS that showed the location and orientation of the ultrasound probe.…”

Telementored ultrasonography: a narrative review

“…Regarding the individuals evaluated, one study evaluated emergency medicine residents with one to two years of previous experience with ultrasound, 4 and two studies evaluated medical students. 2 , 6 The other seven studies, conducted in Canada, South Korea, the United States and Haiti, evaluated non-medical professionals: 1 , 29 – 34 six studies on other healthcare professionals 1 , 29 – 31 , 33 , 34 (including sonographers and nurses) and one study on firefighters. 32 All of these ten studies featured a trained and experienced physician as a distant assessor.…”

“…In a randomized clinical trial by Hurst et al, 33 30 sonographers with no previous experience were evaluated. These were divided into three groups: 10 who had had a computer class (two-minute videos); 10 who had had a computer class (two-minute videos) plus telementoring; and 10 who had only had telementoring.…”

“…Choo et al 30 and Kirkpatrick et al 32 analyzed telementoring among non-medical professionals on a simulator, and obtained favorable results through telementoring, while Douglas et al 29 noticed that non-medical healthcare professionals were comfortable with mentoring received from a specialist doctor at a distance. Hurst et al, 33 Levine et al 31 and Robertson et al 1 evaluated the quality of the images produced by non-medical healthcare workers and found sufficient quality for diagnostic evaluation by a specialist doctor. Lee et al 34 compared face-to-face mentoring and distant mentoring with regard to defining the location of the cecal appendix, and showed that there was no difference between these types of mentoring.…”

Remotely Guided Breast Sonography for Long-Term Space Missions: A Case Report and Discussion

“…The subject also watched a medical video demonstrating a person performing self-ultrasound 15 . It was shown that both remote guidance and a computer training tool produce a higher quality of ultrasound images 6,9 . During the procedure, the subject performed the test while guided remotely by the sonographer, who was in a separate location from the subject.…”