Eye tracking in catheter-based cardiovascular interventions: early results

Area of Science:

• Medical imaging analysis
• Cardiovascular interventions
• Human-computer interaction

Background:

• Visual x-ray image processing (XRIP) is crucial for catheter-based cardiovascular interventions (CBCVIs).
• Current understanding of XRIP strategies in CBCVIs is limited.
• Objective characterization of operator visual behavior is needed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a computer-based method for analyzing XRIP during CBCVIs.
• To quantitatively and qualitatively characterize the gaze patterns of expert and novice operators.
• To explore the potential for skill transfer using eye-tracking data.

Main Methods:

• A head-mounted eye-tracking device was used to record gaze data.
• Continuous temporal-spatial analysis of gaze patterns was performed.
• Quantitative (gaze duration) and qualitative (gaze focus) analyses were conducted.

Main Results:

• Expert operators (EOs) spent significant portions of procedure time viewing the display screen (specific percentages not detailed here).
• EOs consistently focused on the screen's center, shifting gaze only for suspicious findings.
• Novice operators (NOs) exhibited a sequential viewing pattern of coronary artery segments.

Conclusions:

• The developed methodology enables continuous registration and analysis of gaze data in live-case scenarios.
• Distinct visual strategies differentiate expert and novice operators in XRIP.
• This approach may facilitate the transfer of expert visual skills to novices.