Can automation and artificial intelligence reduce echocardiography scan time and ultrasound system interaction?
Abstract Background The number of patients referred for and requiring a transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) has increased over the years resulting in more cardiac sonographers reporting work related musculoskeletal pain. We sought to determine if a scanning protocol that replaced conventional workflo...
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BMC
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Echo Research and Practice |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s44156-025-00077-0 |
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| author | Kylie J. Hollitt Steven Milanese Majo Joseph Rebecca Perry |
| author_facet | Kylie J. Hollitt Steven Milanese Majo Joseph Rebecca Perry |
| author_sort | Kylie J. Hollitt |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The number of patients referred for and requiring a transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) has increased over the years resulting in more cardiac sonographers reporting work related musculoskeletal pain. We sought to determine if a scanning protocol that replaced conventional workflows with advanced technologies such as multiplane imaging, artificial intelligence (AI) and automation could be used to optimise conventional workflows and potentially reduce ergonomic risk for cardiac sonographers. The aim was to assess whether this alternate protocol could reduce active scanning time as well as interaction with the ultrasound machine compared to a standard echocardiogram without a reduction in image quality and interpretability. Method and results Volunteer participants were recruited for a study that comprised of two TTE’s with separate protocols. Both were clinically complete, but Protocol A combined automation, AI assisted acquisition and measurement, simultaneous and multiplane imaging whilst Protocol B reflected a standard scanning protocol without these additional technologies. Keystrokes were significantly reduced with the advanced protocol as compared to the typical protocol (230.9 ± 24.2 vs. 502.8 ± 56.2; difference 271.9 ± 61.3, p < 0.001). Furthermore, there was a reduction in scan time with protocol A compared to protocol B the standard TTE protocol (13.4 ± 2.3 min vs. 18.0 ± 2.6 min; difference 4.6 ± 2.9 min, p < 0.001) as well as a decrease of approximately 27% in the time the sonographers were required to reach beyond a neutral position on the ultrasound console. Conclusions A TTE protocol that embraces modern technologies such as AI, automation, and multiplane imaging shows potential for a reduction in ultrasound keystrokes and scan time without a reduction in quality and interpretability. This may aid a reduction in ergonomic workload as compared to a standard TTE. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-538f671e76a8491fb7562f937d473c0e |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2055-0464 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Echo Research and Practice |
| spelling | doaj-art-538f671e76a8491fb7562f937d473c0e2025-08-20T03:47:14ZengBMCEcho Research and Practice2055-04642025-06-011211910.1186/s44156-025-00077-0Can automation and artificial intelligence reduce echocardiography scan time and ultrasound system interaction?Kylie J. Hollitt0Steven Milanese1Majo Joseph2Rebecca Perry3Allied Health and Human Performance, University of South AustraliaSchool of Health Sciences, Physiotherapy, Swinburne University of TechnologyDepartment of Cardiology, Flinders Medical Centre, Southern Adelaide Local Health NetworkAllied Health and Human Performance, University of South AustraliaAbstract Background The number of patients referred for and requiring a transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) has increased over the years resulting in more cardiac sonographers reporting work related musculoskeletal pain. We sought to determine if a scanning protocol that replaced conventional workflows with advanced technologies such as multiplane imaging, artificial intelligence (AI) and automation could be used to optimise conventional workflows and potentially reduce ergonomic risk for cardiac sonographers. The aim was to assess whether this alternate protocol could reduce active scanning time as well as interaction with the ultrasound machine compared to a standard echocardiogram without a reduction in image quality and interpretability. Method and results Volunteer participants were recruited for a study that comprised of two TTE’s with separate protocols. Both were clinically complete, but Protocol A combined automation, AI assisted acquisition and measurement, simultaneous and multiplane imaging whilst Protocol B reflected a standard scanning protocol without these additional technologies. Keystrokes were significantly reduced with the advanced protocol as compared to the typical protocol (230.9 ± 24.2 vs. 502.8 ± 56.2; difference 271.9 ± 61.3, p < 0.001). Furthermore, there was a reduction in scan time with protocol A compared to protocol B the standard TTE protocol (13.4 ± 2.3 min vs. 18.0 ± 2.6 min; difference 4.6 ± 2.9 min, p < 0.001) as well as a decrease of approximately 27% in the time the sonographers were required to reach beyond a neutral position on the ultrasound console. Conclusions A TTE protocol that embraces modern technologies such as AI, automation, and multiplane imaging shows potential for a reduction in ultrasound keystrokes and scan time without a reduction in quality and interpretability. This may aid a reduction in ergonomic workload as compared to a standard TTE.https://doi.org/10.1186/s44156-025-00077-0Artificial intelligenceAutomationTransthoracic echocardiographyErgonomics |
| spellingShingle | Kylie J. Hollitt Steven Milanese Majo Joseph Rebecca Perry Can automation and artificial intelligence reduce echocardiography scan time and ultrasound system interaction? Echo Research and Practice Artificial intelligence Automation Transthoracic echocardiography Ergonomics |
| title | Can automation and artificial intelligence reduce echocardiography scan time and ultrasound system interaction? |
| title_full | Can automation and artificial intelligence reduce echocardiography scan time and ultrasound system interaction? |
| title_fullStr | Can automation and artificial intelligence reduce echocardiography scan time and ultrasound system interaction? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Can automation and artificial intelligence reduce echocardiography scan time and ultrasound system interaction? |
| title_short | Can automation and artificial intelligence reduce echocardiography scan time and ultrasound system interaction? |
| title_sort | can automation and artificial intelligence reduce echocardiography scan time and ultrasound system interaction |
| topic | Artificial intelligence Automation Transthoracic echocardiography Ergonomics |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s44156-025-00077-0 |
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