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Научни трудове на Съюза на учените в България-Пловдив, Серия Г. Медицина, фармация и дентална медицина т. XIX. ISSN 1311-9427 юни 2016. Scientific works of the Union of Scientists in Bulgaria-Plovdiv, series G. Medicine, Pharmacy and Dental medicine, Vol. XIX, ISSN 1311-9427 Medicine and Dental medicine June 2016.
РЕАЛИЗАЦИЯ НА ОБРАЗОВАТЕЛНИЯ МОДУЛ 5
'АНТРОПОМОРФНИ ФАНТОМИ' ОТ ЕВРОПЕЙСКИЯ КУРС ,EUTEMPE-RX' ПО МЕДИЦИНСКА ФИЗИКА В ОБЛАСТТА НА ОБРАЗНАТА ДИАГНОСТИКА В ТУ-ВАРНА Кристина Близнакова Технически Университет Варна
IMPLEMENTING THE 'ANTHROPOMORPHIC PHANTOMS' EDUCATIONAL MODULE AT THE TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF
VARNA Kristina Bliznakova Technical University of Varna
Abstract: The Anthropomorphic Phantoms educational module has been successfully developed to provide education and training of Medical Physics Experts and Biomedical Engineers in the field of x-ray based diagnostic imaging. The aim of this paper is to report on the implementation of this unique European training module at the Technical University of Varna, Bulgaria. Seventeen participants from fourteen European countries participated in the face-to-face part of the module. All lectures were led by worldwide recognized researchers in the field of medical physics and biomedical engineering. The focus was on the practical work and the development of work projects. All participants were very motivated and performed excellently during the educational module. As a result, all of them passed successfully the final assessment examination.
Keywords: anthropomorphic phantoms, computer simulations, education and training in medical physics and biomedical engineering
INTRODUCTION
Anthropomorphic physical and software phantoms play a critical role in the contemporary development of diagnostic x-ray based imaging techniques. They are a key element used in designing, testing and evaluating the performance of the new forthcoming imaging systems, prior to their implementation in clinical practice. Educational Module 5
"Anthropomorphic Phantoms" is one of the 12 modules from the European EUTEMPE-RX course [1], which can provide a proper education and training in the field of design, implementing and use of anthropomorphic phantoms in medicine and scientific research. The European Training and Education for Medical Physics Experts in Radiology course is a result of an EU FP7 project (partners shown in Figure 1), within the Euratom Fission Training Schemes in 'Nuclear Fission, Safety and Radiation Protection' [2]. The collaboration between the partners lead to the development of an EU teaching platform devoted to the education of Medical Physics Experts in the field of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology (D&IR). This platform provides a model
training scheme that allows the medical physicists and biomedical engineers, working in the field of diagnostics to reach a high level of knowledge, skills and competences. End users of this course were (a) medical physicists and biomedical engineers working in the departments of D&IR; (b) scientists who work in R&D departments of European medical device companies; (c) experts working for radiation protection authorities; (d) students enrolled in MSc and PhD programs.
The aimof this pape r is to present the Figurel. 13partnersfrom10EUcountries
implementation of this unique training module 5 involvedin the EUTEMPE-RXproject. fromdieEUTENffE-RX project at the Technical Universityof Varna, Bulgaria.
MODULE STRUCTURE
ModuPe Description
The 'Anthropomorphic Phantoms' wat tPt fiftO madtie from the EUTEttffE-RX coarse (Teblh P) Teld aO the TecirPeal Univeosity rf Varnat 0-1 3, ¡Soi^^^iebre 2015 S2]. The main goals rf the moOufe s^i^ret^oi^i^on^PT2t]^£i(iertinip^-^(- oe^l^lo the rote of The plyticolandvirtual anthropomorphic phantoms and the possibility of performing virtual clinical trials using existing anp teseing hew diagnostio leclinologies. Participants were encouraged to develop skills for the design and evaluation e2 n0hropemoip]2c paaptoma, ee tiIT as, tr design, implemeot nnd eae^toTSe ^irSeal cliaicai shrekr wttir sueh phantoms, and la discuss and inteaprni the results of the virtual stufies.
Table 1. List of modules and organisers.
№ Ma2eio
Oeormtoet
№ Manela
Oeoreitiet
Daaaladmaтlt ah lfi deaCattiaт oel lfi
EFOMP & SievicSt
S f,,,™™,,.,,,,^ Mrneilaсa 2i
efrllaтoat ah lfi MPE re „ . . __
° Soisn, ES D&iR re Eeeaei
Rrnirliaт bialaof hae
2 mi2ieoi efftieitlt i-Rrnialaof
3 Botiet tC MttIo Crela timeirliae
heiaietilf ah Prair,
in
Paifliefeie heiaietilf ah Crlrleтfr
Feтnrmaтlrl efftiet ah
4 Xterft: aтaeof, rbtaedliae rel efrti iCCielt
Aelfeaeamaeefie
5 efrelamt la rttitt elieieri aCCaeliaaтatt
Feam eaeliтa Qsriilf
6 Atteraтea (QA) ah Xterf tftlimt la rnareein QA
heiaietilf ah Fieerer, it
naefтierl heiaietilf ah Vreer, BG
Crlfalie hтiaaetitf ah Lisaae, BE
S0
ss
s2
A2arTeo2
morteeomiTlt ah lfi darfaemreea ah Xterf imroi-o tftlimt
Ct imroi-o r-2 erliiTl 2ato adlimieo2 oilf abjoeliao moret
Aefioai-o qerlitf in beartl er-eae teeoiTiTo r-2 niro-atit
Hiof lata Xterf deaeo2eeit in iTloeaiTliaTri
er2iaiaof r-2 ere2iaiaof Datimlley, heam eaeeidlet la lfi r2aioteiTl
Pletaттll2atimlley,iтe ie2iToloefTiqeotla eammeTierloeerelierie oteiltlalfoetoet
Rafrl Seeeif Caeelf Hateilri, hK
hтialetitf Hateilri ah LretrTTi, CH
Nrliaeri Eeeoel r-2 termino Ciileo hae Beartl Creeoe SeeiiTi-o, NL AeioT2rOteo2riioeahT ialetitoeir S. Mreir 2oiirMitoeieae2ir, in&SoeaieiaMr2eiloca 2o Srie2, ES
hтialetitf ah Ceolo, GR
KiiTikemBereTtefooio & h-iaoetitf ah GiottiT, DE
7
8
9
Teaching Approach
Teaching methodology included e-learning and face-to-face approaches. The complete course was organized in a blended format that included lectures, computer-based exercises, visit to the University Hospital of Varna for experimental work and discussion sessions. The online phase started 6 weeks before the face-to-face part. The topics covered during the online phase are summarized in the screen shot of the online material for this module, shown in Figure 2a. Each topic begins with a slide showing the learning goals of the topic, and then continues with text, power point presentations, animated slide shows, interactive demos, video tutorials of how to use the software tools in the design and applications of anthropomorphic phantoms, as well as, recorded practicals. Examples for self-training and work projects implemented during the course in Varna are also provided. Short quizzes are available within the chapters to check whether the participants are advancing as expected. To advance with practical exercises, all software tools which were used during the face-to-face part, were uploaded on a host site dedicated to the project.
The face-to-face part started on 7th September 2015 at the Technical University of Varna, Bulgaria. The face-to-face component was organized in a mixed format that included mainly computer-based exercises. The teaching approach included two invited lectures per day, tutorials, practical sessions and project work. The face-to-face program is shown in Figure 2b. Lectures and practical work were delivered to 17 participants from 14 European countries (Figure 3). All lectures were led by worldwide recognized researchers in the field of anthropomorphic phantoms and their use in the research and clinical practice, with focus on practical work and project development.
Figure 2. The teaching approach: (a) a screen shot from the online e-learning SEKOIA platform depicting module "Anthropomorphic Phantoms", (b) face-to-face program of the
"Anthropomorphic Phantoms'" module.
During the face-to-face part, participants met the challenge to create anthropomorphic phantoms by themselves using the dedicated software tools. They were also involved in unique virtual clinical studies, like assessing the limitations of an imaging modality, optimising the parameters of an existing diagnostic imaging modality, use of anthropomorphic (software and physical) phantoms in the scientific research, e.g. in studies on the influence of the image processing techniques on the quality of the obtained two- and three- dimensional images, studies on image reconstruction techniques. A computational room with 20 workplaces equipped with 20 notebook-computers, each one of them having an AMD processor at 2.10 GHz, 4 GB of RAM, a 13.3" display and running 64-bit Microsoft Windows 8 were used in sessions. The teaching team encouraged the participants to take their portable computers to Varna. Main reason is that it is more convenient to work on them especially for project assignments. Also, most of the participants plan to use the tools in their current research as well as in clinical studies.
Figure 3. The participants in the face-to-face part of the module that took place in the Laboratory on Innovation of the Faculty of Electronics, at the Technical University of Varna. The room offered 20 workplaces equipped with 20 notebook-computers.
PARTICIPANTS' RESULTS
Participantassessment consisted of a work project on a case study from D&IR, combined with a writtee exam. The work projet was °i2en to the pertiripacts working io groufs of two. EttaMishment of werking gsoups was baoef oa a procoduee of tandam memberta sepectio^ ut thr ent eh tte i^i^tt ray. Thr josojeote were rasied out tt^srrgOrut ttso face-tolace dutoiiar ond conriuded wtth o tSort t^sesrt^iaiirr^. Thr wuitten exam consissed of tdart quetiiart ord hod dutairoo oSrne hr>ur. T2e t^ioai etset^nsent ecore was catenated an ths botit aC 60% aroint scare + 40%writte2 exmt scse. alls participantspassep the finao i^^^^^^^c^irt.
The medule itself and the team, who developed 10 0 the educational material of the module, were 7,5 also evaluated by the participants. The feedback _ Q shewed ohat itis is sne of tiio very s^i^s^t^essful modsler. Fas example, big2re! g sfewt ths resftnse 2 5
of the participants on the question: How likely 00 -
is it you would recommend the EUTEMPE-RX
^hropomoipMc Phrntoms modufe to a colkague? Fjgure 4. Frrdboen Cram ths cortieicontt.
CONCLUSIONS
The modsle "Anthropomorphic Phantoms" was successfully run at the Technical Univeisky of Varna,Bglgaeia. Dus tt) rfo syreqst or thr ^TEMP2-^ courso, all tor mrdules wiU be rerun from toe automn oUas16. 's4gXrqfu;yor/>a!7:a Phaetons" is ar^ds^ fxr M2y. u2-xw, fr r 7. Sekcted project works are currenÛy undn dstml drvehpment an d will bs S2hmstted for pubUcatisn. rg sddUion, two partia^o^ afaacfy otarted PhD wrrk on top.es rdated to crm^^^ei modefmu la/acunal tumodts aod stew .ree-0 /wowi0 teehniqnrh:
LITE RmTU]1UX
Rl]Basmans, H., et al., Eutempe-Rx, an Ec Supported Fp7 Project for the Training and Education of Medical Physics Experts in Radiology. Radiat Prot Dosimetry, 2015. 165(1-4): p. 518-522.
[2]EUaE-RPE-RX : European Treining and Ekccution fo r M5dieal Phesics Experte in Radiology, inFP7 Fiasion-20ee-5.1.1: EUIMEOMFission Teaieina Schemes (EFTS) in 'Nacleae Fission, )afetn cmUaadFiwn Pmtection g Pwf^eNiimb^: 60Uen8ni.e8.nSCk - Cl.e2.dNn0.
ivww. out6m pe-rx.org
