An enabling system for echocardiography providing adaptive support through behavioral analysis

Echocardiography requires the integrated application of a broad spectrum of cognitive and practical skills, e.g. diagnostic knowledge (symbolic), image interpretation (visual perception) and handling of the ultrasound probe (sensorimotor). This complex expertise is acquired through extensive practical training guided by a skilled cardiologist that is often incompatible with clinical reality. Especially for beginners, the most critical point during an echocardiographic examination is the steering of the ultrasound probe to navigate between different cardiological standard planes (sensorimotor skill) without loosing orientation. These transitions or "standard trajectories" can roughly be described by specific movement patterns. We propose an enabling system based on an Augmented Reality simulator for two-dimensional echocardiography imitating this apprenticeship [1]-[3]. During a simulated ultrasound examination the system monitors the activities of the trainee and analyzes the motion pattern of the ultrasound probe. The simulator reacts by mapping the motion patterns onto cognitive orientation demands and providing adaptive feedback in the form of context sensitive help (animations). It partly takes the role of the critical teacher.