Telerobotic Sonography for Remote Diagnostic Imaging

Adams, Scott; Burbridge, Brent; Obaid, Haron; Stoneham, Grant; Babyn, Paul; Mendez, Ivar

doi:10.1002/jum.15525

Cited by 32 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 67 publications

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“…This study points towards the need for increased availability of local ultrasound services and new solutions which overcome challenges associated with geographic dispersion of a population in small communities over a large territory. One of those solutions may be telerobotic ultrasound, a technology which allows sonographers or radiologists to remotely manipulate an ultrasound probe from a central site (such as an urban ultrasound clinic or hospital) [ 46–48 ]. Using this technology, patients can stay in their home community while receiving imaging care from sonographers and radiologists.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Access to ultrasound imaging: A qualitative study in two northern, remote, Indigenous communities in Canada

Adams

Babyn

Burbridge

et al. 2021

International Journal of Circumpolar Health

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Ultrasound imaging is an essential component of healthcare services. This study sought to explore perceptions of access, and factors which shape access, to ultrasound imaging in two northern, remote, Indigenous communities in Canada. Using interpretive description as a methodological approach and a multi-dimensional conceptualisation of access to care as a theoretical framework, 15 semi-structured interviews were conducted in the northern Canadian communities of Stony Rapids and Black Lake, Saskatchewan. All participants had an obstetrical or non-obstetrical ultrasound exam performed in the past 10 years. Interviews were audio recorded and interview transcripts were analysed using constant comparative analysis. Geographic isolation from imaging facilities was a central barrier to participants accessing ultrasound imaging. Other barriers became apparent when participants had to travel for ultrasound, including fear of air travel, isolation from family, financial means, and unfamiliarity with larger cities. Barriers such as family and work responsibilities were exacerbated by the barrier of geography. Participants overcame these barriers as they were motivated by potential diagnostic benefits of ultrasound imaging. This study highlights disparities in access to ultrasound for northern, remote, Indigenous populations. Future efforts to improve access to imaging should consider barriers of distance to imaging facilities and strategies to bridge these barriers.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Access to ultrasound imaging: A qualitative study in two northern, remote, Indigenous communities in Canada

Adams

Babyn

Burbridge

et al. 2021

International Journal of Circumpolar Health

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The use of innovative technologies such as telerobotic ultrasound should be explored to improve access to ultrasound services for underserved and marginalized populations and help minimize the degree of variation in ultrasound utilization in some rural and remote areas. [35][36][37][38] Other solutions, such as having an itinerant sonographer regularly travel to rural and remote communities, may also improve access to ultrasound services for these communities. Cultural safety training and ensuring culturally safe healthcare environments may increase the approachability, acceptability, and appropriateness of ultrasound services for Indigenous peoples, potentially reducing disparities in ultrasound utilization.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sociodemographic and Geographic Factors Associated With Non-Obstetrical Ultrasound Imaging Utilization: A Population-Based Study

et al. 2021

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Objective: Ultrasound is one of the most commonly used imaging modalities, though some populations face barriers in accessing ultrasound services, potentially resulting in disparities in utilization. The objective of this study was to assess the association between sociodemographic and geographic factors and non-obstetrical ultrasound utilization in the province of Saskatchewan, Canada. Methods: All non-obstetrical ultrasound exams performed from 2014 to 2018 in Saskatchewan, Canada were retrospectively identified from province-wide databases. Univariate and multivariate Poisson regression analyses were performed to assess the association between ultrasound utilization and sex, age, First Nations status, Charlson Comorbidity Index, urban vs. rural residence, geographic remoteness, and neighborhood income. Results: A total of 1,324,846 individuals (5,857,044 person-years) were included in the analysis. Female sex (adjusted incidence rate ratio [aIRR], 2.20; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.19-2.22), age (aIRR, 4.97; 95% CI, 4.90-5.05 for ≥57 years vs. <11 years), comorbidities (aIRR, 4.36 for Charlson Comorbidity Index >10 vs. 0; 95% CI, 3.78-5.03), and higher neighborhood income (aIRR, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.02-1.05 for highest vs. lowest quintile) were associated with higher rates of ultrasound utilization. Individuals who were status First Nations (aIRR, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.90-0.92) or resided in geographically remote areas (aIRR, 0.87 for most vs. least remote; 95% CI, 0.83-0.91) had lower rates of ultrasound utilization. Individuals who lived in a rural area also had lower rates of ultrasound utilization (aIRR, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.92-0.94). Conclusion: Substantial disparities exist in non-obstetrical ultrasound utilization among individuals in low-income neighborhoods, status First Nations individuals, and individuals in rural and remote communities.

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“…The MELODY system allows for optimizing cardiac, lung or abdominal US expertise wherever located at all times. Although the MELODY system has been found effective in adults (9)(10)(11)(12), it has not been tested and hence not approved for pediatric use.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparison of telerobotic and conventional ultrasonography in children: a crossover bicentric pilot study

Delestrain¹,

Jung²,

Malterre³

et al. 2023

Transl Pediatr

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Background: The MELODY system allows for performing ultrasonography on a patient remotely and has been proposed to assess disease characteristics in the context of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. The aim of this interventional crossover study was to address the feasibility of the system in children aged 1 to 10 years old.Methods: Children underwent ultrasonography with a telerobotic ultrasound system followed by a second conventional examination by a different sonographer.Results: In total, 38 children were enrolled, and 76 examinations were performed, with 76 scans analyzed.The mean [standard deviation (SD)] age of participants was 5.7 (2.7) years (range, 1-10 years). We found substantial agreement between telerobotic and conventional ultrasonography [κ=0.74 (95% CI: 0.53-0.94), P<0.005]. The mean (SD) duration was longer for telerobotic than conventional examinations [26.0 (2.5) vs. 13.9 (11.2) min, P<0.0001]. Abdominal organs and abnormalities were similarly visualized on telerobotic and conventional ultrasonography. Cardiac echocardiography provided reliable diagnoses, with nonsignificantly different measurements with both techniques, although the visualization score was significantly higher with conventional than telerobotic ultrasonography (P<0.05). On lung analysis, both examinations identified consolidations and pleural effusion, whereas visualization and total lung score were similar with the 2 techniques. Overall, 45% of parents reported that their children felt less pressure with the telerobotic system.Conclusions: Telerobotic ultrasonography may be effective, feasible, and well tolerated in children.

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Telerobotic Sonography for Remote Diagnostic Imaging

Cited by 32 publications

References 67 publications

Access to ultrasound imaging: A qualitative study in two northern, remote, Indigenous communities in Canada

Access to ultrasound imaging: A qualitative study in two northern, remote, Indigenous communities in Canada

Sociodemographic and Geographic Factors Associated With Non-Obstetrical Ultrasound Imaging Utilization: A Population-Based Study

Comparison of telerobotic and conventional ultrasonography in children: a crossover bicentric pilot study

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