Biomedical subjects

G Turkiyyah

Publications and source records attributed to G Turkiyyah.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2001

Virtual reality simulators for dermatologic surgery: measuring their validity as a teaching tool.

Surgical simulation is increasingly being considered for training, testing, and possibly credentialing in medicine and surgery. At the University of Washington we have been developing a virtual reality (VR) suturing simulator. In the course of development it must be realized that expensive new technologies should bear the burden of proof of their effectiveness and reliability before they are put into training programs. The purpose of this article is to define the concept of surgical skill and to discuss how it can be measured in the context of validating VR surgical simulators. Specific measures of validity and reliability are reviewed and discussed.

Computer Simulation↗

PubMed2001

Issues in validation of a dermatologic surgery simulator.

At the University of Washington, we have been developing a suturing simulator using novel finite element model techniques which allow real-time haptic feedback. The issues involved in measuring validity in a suturing model have not been examined in a systematic way. Very few studies exist on the surgical factors that lead to good sutures. We have examined published data on these factors as well as previously studied metrics in suture training. This information has been combined with a review of types of validity (e.g., face, construct, predictive and concurrent) and reliability that must be considered in assessing any surgical simulator.

Computer Simulation↗

PubMed2000

Creating fast finite element models from medical images.

The procedure for creating a patient-specific virtual tissue model with finite element (FE) based haptic (force) feedback varies substantially from that which is required for generating a typical volumetric model. In addition to extracting geometrical and texture map data to provide visual realism, it is necessary to obtain information for supporting a FE model. Among many differences, FE-based VR environments require a FE model with appropriate material properties assigned. The FE equation must also be processed in a manner specific to the surgical task in order to maximize deformation and haptic computation speed. We are currently developing methodologies and support software for creating patient-specific models from medical images. The steps for creating such a model are as follows: 1) obtain medical images and texture maps of tissue structures; 2) extract tissue structure contours; 3) generate a 3D mesh from the tissue structure contours; 4) alter mesh based on simulation objectives; 5) assign material properties, boundary nodes and texture maps; 6) generate a fast (or real-time) FE model; and 7) support the tissue models with task-specific tools and training aids. This paper will elaborate on the above steps with particular reference to the creation of suturing simulation software, which will also be described.

Computer Graphics↗