A virtual patient authoring tool for transcatheter aortic valve replacement

Area of Science:

• Medical Education Technology
• Virtual Patient Simulation
• Cardiovascular Training

Background:

• Computer-based medical training often lacks variability and is resource-intensive.
• Generating realistic training scenarios and datasets is a significant challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a patient authoring tool for rapid, dataset-independent creation of virtual patients (VPs).
• To enhance variability and modifiability in medical training scenarios.

Main Methods:

• Developed a VP authoring tool integrated with a virtual catheterization laboratory (vCathLab).
• Utilized a real-time morphable heart model and Euroscore parameters for VP generation.
• Evaluated the tool's usability and performance in desktop and virtual reality (VR) environments by expert clinicians.

Main Results:

• The tool enables the creation of anatomically correct and modifiable virtual patients.
• Participants confirmed the system's simplicity, variability, and educational value.
• The prototype achieved excellent usability and strong performance in VR.

Conclusions:

• The developed VP authoring tool significantly enhances variability in medical training.
• The approach holds potential for educational applications, warranting further didactic investigation.
• Future improvements could include more realistic parameter ranges for specific procedures.