Development of a novel image-based program to teach narrow-band imaging

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Pulmonology
• Endoscopic Imaging

Background:

• Narrow-band imaging (NBI) is an endoscopic technique with potential for improved adoption.
• Training novices in NBI bronchoscopy and assessing performance presents challenges, especially in short workshops.
• An online training tool, Medimq, was developed to aid NBI bronchoscopy training and performance assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of an interactive online testing method for NBI bronchoscopy training.
• To determine if the training tool enhances trainees' capacity to identify relevant pathology.
• To assess the tool's ability to provide feedback and measure performance improvement.

Main Methods:

• Two groups of bronchoscopists (20 and 18) participated in an NBI course.
• Participants completed pre-tests, post-tests, and 4-week follow-up tests.
• Trainees marked normal/abnormal areas on NBI images; markings were compared to expert annotations.

Main Results:

• Pilot testing refined the assessment tool.
• Group 2 demonstrated a 32% average normalized gain in detecting normal/abnormal areas post-training.
• Follow-up testing showed a 23% improvement, indicating knowledge retention.

Conclusions:

• The interactive testing method significantly improves trainee competency in analyzing NBI images.
• The tool effectively measures performance and knowledge retention over time.
• Further practice post-training may enhance long-term skill retention.