Adams Scott J, Burbridge Brent E, Badea Andreea, Kanigan Nadine, Bustamante Luis, Babyn Paul, Mendez Ivar
Department of Medical Imaging, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
The Ultrasound Centre, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
J Ultrasound Med. 2018 Nov;37(11):2603-2612. doi: 10.1002/jum.14619. Epub 2018 Apr 24.
To determine the feasibility of a telerobotic approach to remotely perform prenatal sonographic examinations.
Thirty participants were prospectively recruited. Participants underwent a limited examination (assessing biometry, placental location, and amniotic fluid; n = 20) or a detailed examination (biometry, placental location, amniotic fluid, and fetal anatomic survey; n = 10) performed with a conventional ultrasound system. This examination was followed by an equivalent examination performed with a telerobotic ultrasound system, which enabled sonographers to remotely control all ultrasound settings and fine movements of the ultrasound transducer from a distance. Telerobotic images were read independently from conventional images.
The mean gestational age ± SD of the 30 participants was 22.9 ± 5.3 weeks. Paired-sample t tests showed no statistically significant difference between conventional and telerobotic measurements of fetal head circumference, biparietal diameter, or single deepest vertical pocket of amniotic fluid; however, a small but statistically significant difference was observed in measurements of abdominal circumference and femur length (P < .05). Intraclass correlations showed excellent agreement (>0.90) between telerobotic and conventional measurements of all 4 biometric parameters. Of 21 fetal structures included in the anatomic survey, 80% of the structures attempted across all patients were sufficiently visualized by the telerobotic system (range, 57%-100% per patient). Ninety-seven percent of patients strongly or somewhat agreed that they would be willing to have another telerobotic examination in the future.
A telerobotic approach is feasible for remotely performing prenatal sonographic examinations. Telerobotic sonography (robotic telesonography) may allow for the development of satellite ultrasound clinics in rural, remote, or low-volume communities, thereby increasing access to prenatal imaging in underserved communities.
确定采用远程机器人技术进行产前超声检查的可行性。
前瞻性招募了30名参与者。参与者先使用传统超声系统进行了有限检查（评估生物测量、胎盘位置和羊水情况；n = 20）或详细检查（生物测量、胎盘位置、羊水情况和胎儿解剖学检查；n = 10）。随后使用远程机器人超声系统进行了等效检查，该系统使超声检查人员能够从远处远程控制所有超声设置和超声换能器的精细移动。远程机器人图像与传统图像独立解读。
30名参与者的平均孕周±标准差为22.9±5.3周。配对样本t检验显示，传统测量与远程机器人测量的胎儿头围、双顶径或羊水最大深度之间无统计学显著差异；然而，在腹围和股骨长度测量中观察到了小但具有统计学显著意义的差异（P < 0.05）。组内相关性显示，所有4个生物测量参数的远程机器人测量与传统测量之间具有极好的一致性（>0.90）。在解剖学检查中包括的21个胎儿结构中，远程机器人系统能够充分显示所有患者中80%的尝试结构（范围为每位患者57%-100%）。97%的患者强烈或 somewhat同意他们未来愿意接受另一次远程机器人检查。
远程机器人技术用于远程进行产前超声检查是可行的。远程机器人超声检查（机器人远程超声检查）可能有助于在农村、偏远或低容量社区发展卫星超声诊所，从而增加在服务不足社区获得产前成像的机会。
