Validation of a tele-robotic ultrasound system for abdomen and thyroid gland explorations: a comparison with standard ultrasound
Abstract Background Tele-robotic ultrasound (US) is a novel technique that might help overcome the current shortage of radiologists and poor access to radiologists and/or sonographers in remote or rural areas. Despite the promising results of this technology in the past two decades, there is still i...
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2025-01-01
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| Series: | The Ultrasound Journal |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13089-025-00408-6 |
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| author | Andreu Antolin Nuria Roson Marina Planes Mar Castillo Anna Alberti Manuel Escobar |
| author_facet | Andreu Antolin Nuria Roson Marina Planes Mar Castillo Anna Alberti Manuel Escobar |
| author_sort | Andreu Antolin |
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| description | Abstract Background Tele-robotic ultrasound (US) is a novel technique that might help overcome the current shortage of radiologists and poor access to radiologists and/or sonographers in remote or rural areas. Despite the promising results of this technology in the past two decades, there is still insufficient data about its advantages and limits, as well as the implementation in routine clinical practice and the learning curve for the user. The purpose of this prospective cohort-based study is to evaluate the performance of a 5G-based tele-robotic US system for abdominal and thyroid gland assessment in a cohort of healthy volunteers and outpatients, as well as assessing the learning curve and patient satisfaction. Results 64 participants (23 male, 41 female) were consecutively included during the recruitment period, for a total of 51 abdominal and 37 thyroid gland US studies. The mean age was 45.23 ± 18.90 years old, and the body mass index of the abdominal cohort was 22.97 ± 2.95 kg/m2. The learning curve estimated a minimum of 20 patients for abdominal tele-robotic US training, being almost non-existent in the thyroid gland cohort. All the variables showed no-statistical differences between standard US and tele-robotic US in the abdominal post-trained cohort except the visualization of the left kidney short axis and its interpolar length. Thyroid gland variables showed no statistical differences. The mean time of exploration for the tele-robotic US for abdomen and thyroid gland examinations were 18.33 ± 6.26 min and 4.64 ± 0.97 min respectively. Most participants (> 70%) felt comfortable and safe while being examined by the tele-robotic US. Conclusion Tele-robotic US achieves equal performance in comparison with the standard US when evaluating abdominal structures in this cohort of patients, as well as a relatively fast learning curve and good patient satisfaction. The performance when assessing the thyroid gland is almost identical to the standard US, which makes it a strong first candidate for a future clinical implementation. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-03c836bdd9c646edb8596a6e9e27e114 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2524-8987 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | SpringerOpen |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Ultrasound Journal |
| spelling | doaj-art-03c836bdd9c646edb8596a6e9e27e1142025-01-19T12:14:41ZengSpringerOpenThe Ultrasound Journal2524-89872025-01-0117111410.1186/s13089-025-00408-6Validation of a tele-robotic ultrasound system for abdomen and thyroid gland explorations: a comparison with standard ultrasoundAndreu Antolin0Nuria Roson1Marina Planes2Mar Castillo3Anna Alberti4Manuel Escobar5Department of Radiology, Institut de Diagnòstic per la Imatge (IDI), Hospital Universitari Vall d’HebronDepartment of Radiology, Institut de Diagnòstic per la Imatge (IDI), Hospital Universitari Vall d’HebronDepartment of Radiology, Institut de Diagnòstic per la Imatge (IDI), Hospital Universitari Vall d’HebronDepartment of Radiology, Hospital Universitari Vall d’HebronDepartment of Radiology, Institut de Diagnòstic per la Imatge (IDI), Hospital Universitari Vall d’HebronDepartment of Radiology, Hospital Universitari Vall d’HebronAbstract Background Tele-robotic ultrasound (US) is a novel technique that might help overcome the current shortage of radiologists and poor access to radiologists and/or sonographers in remote or rural areas. Despite the promising results of this technology in the past two decades, there is still insufficient data about its advantages and limits, as well as the implementation in routine clinical practice and the learning curve for the user. The purpose of this prospective cohort-based study is to evaluate the performance of a 5G-based tele-robotic US system for abdominal and thyroid gland assessment in a cohort of healthy volunteers and outpatients, as well as assessing the learning curve and patient satisfaction. Results 64 participants (23 male, 41 female) were consecutively included during the recruitment period, for a total of 51 abdominal and 37 thyroid gland US studies. The mean age was 45.23 ± 18.90 years old, and the body mass index of the abdominal cohort was 22.97 ± 2.95 kg/m2. The learning curve estimated a minimum of 20 patients for abdominal tele-robotic US training, being almost non-existent in the thyroid gland cohort. All the variables showed no-statistical differences between standard US and tele-robotic US in the abdominal post-trained cohort except the visualization of the left kidney short axis and its interpolar length. Thyroid gland variables showed no statistical differences. The mean time of exploration for the tele-robotic US for abdomen and thyroid gland examinations were 18.33 ± 6.26 min and 4.64 ± 0.97 min respectively. Most participants (> 70%) felt comfortable and safe while being examined by the tele-robotic US. Conclusion Tele-robotic US achieves equal performance in comparison with the standard US when evaluating abdominal structures in this cohort of patients, as well as a relatively fast learning curve and good patient satisfaction. The performance when assessing the thyroid gland is almost identical to the standard US, which makes it a strong first candidate for a future clinical implementation.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13089-025-00408-6Tele-robotic ultrasoundThyroid gland ultrasoundAbdominal ultrasoundDiagnostic ultrasoundLearning curve |
| spellingShingle | Andreu Antolin Nuria Roson Marina Planes Mar Castillo Anna Alberti Manuel Escobar Validation of a tele-robotic ultrasound system for abdomen and thyroid gland explorations: a comparison with standard ultrasound The Ultrasound Journal Tele-robotic ultrasound Thyroid gland ultrasound Abdominal ultrasound Diagnostic ultrasound Learning curve |
| title | Validation of a tele-robotic ultrasound system for abdomen and thyroid gland explorations: a comparison with standard ultrasound |
| title_full | Validation of a tele-robotic ultrasound system for abdomen and thyroid gland explorations: a comparison with standard ultrasound |
| title_fullStr | Validation of a tele-robotic ultrasound system for abdomen and thyroid gland explorations: a comparison with standard ultrasound |
| title_full_unstemmed | Validation of a tele-robotic ultrasound system for abdomen and thyroid gland explorations: a comparison with standard ultrasound |
| title_short | Validation of a tele-robotic ultrasound system for abdomen and thyroid gland explorations: a comparison with standard ultrasound |
| title_sort | validation of a tele robotic ultrasound system for abdomen and thyroid gland explorations a comparison with standard ultrasound |
| topic | Tele-robotic ultrasound Thyroid gland ultrasound Abdominal ultrasound Diagnostic ultrasound Learning curve |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13089-025-00408-6 |
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