Improving Pediatric Cardiology Consultation Methods by Introducing Digital Interactive 3-D Heart Models: A Proof of Concept Study

• Main Author: Verigan, Adam
• Format: Others
• Published: Scholar Commons 2007
• Subjects: Medical; Imaging; Segmentation; Education; Software; American Studies; Arts and Humanities; Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering
• Online Access: http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/3847; http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5043&context=etd

The purpose of a pediatric cardiology consultation is to inform, or educate, the patient and family of all aspects surrounding a certain congenital heart defect. Consultation education methods and materials may include verbal descriptions, two-dimensional (2-D) heart diagrams, and take-home pamphlets. Because the human heart is a complex three-dimensional (3-D) object, the problem lies within the clarity to which these methods are performed by the doctors and understood by the patients and families. Therefore, during a consultation the cardiologist must a) possess the ability to describe a defect visually as well as verbally and b) ensure that the patient and family have a clear understanding of the situation. In this work a method to improve patient consultation is outlined. Heart model segmentation methods from Cardiac MRA images are discussed by using the Materialise Mimics 10.11 software. EduView, the proposed software application solution, provides the user with traditional verbal descriptions and 2-D heart diagrams along with the ability to interact with a digital 3-D human heart model. By including a 3-D approach, the purpose is to assist the cardiologist in explaining a defect while further educating the patient and family. Sun Microsystems Java technology was utilized in order to program the application. Implementation of the software solution is outlined and the results from two surveys involving parents of children with congenital heart defects and pediatric cardiologists are presented. This study outlines a proof of concept. There is significant potential for extending and marketing this tool for future clinical use.