Medical Partners¶
The SPECULAR project collaborates with medical professionals to ensure clinical relevance and validation of the developed training simulator.
Overview¶
Medical partners provide essential expertise in:
- Clinical practice of percutaneous procedures
- Training requirements for interventional radiology
- Validation protocols for medical simulators
- Real-world use cases and scenarios
Primary Partner: CHU Strasbourg¶
Interventional Radiology Department¶
The Hôpitaux Universitaires de Strasbourg (CHU) is the main medical partner, providing access to clinical expertise and validation facilities.
- CHU Strasbourg
University Hospital of Strasbourg Largest hospital in the region
- Interventional Radiology
5+ interventional radiologists 500+ ablation procedures/year
- Training Program
Radiology residency program Fellowship in interventional procedures
Clinical Team¶
Medical Advisors¶
| Name | Title | Role in SPECULAR |
|---|---|---|
| Dr. [Name] | Head of Interventional Radiology | Medical coordinator |
| Dr. [Name] | Interventional Radiologist | Clinical expert |
| Dr. [Name] | Interventional Radiologist | Training expert |
Research Collaboration¶
- Medical physics: Imaging protocol optimization
- Biomechanics: Tissue property characterization
- Education: Curriculum development
Role in the Project¶
Clinical Requirements¶
Use Case Definition: - Standard liver ablation procedures - Complex cases (difficult access) - Complication management - Emergency protocols
Training Objectives: - Needle placement accuracy - Tumor targeting precision - Time efficiency - Radiation safety
Validation Activities¶
2022 Protocol Design - Ethical approval obtained - Study protocol defined - Recruitment criteria established
2023 Pilot Study - 5 radiologists tested simulator - Initial feedback collected - Interface improvements made
2024 Expanded Testing - 10 additional participants - Training curriculum evaluation - Metrics validation
2025 Clinical Study - 20+ residents - Pre/post training assessment - Transfer of training evaluation
Contributions¶
Expertise Provided¶
1. Procedure Knowledge - Standard protocols and variations - Equipment and setup details - Anatomical considerations - Patient positioning
2. Scenario Design - Realistic training cases - Progressive difficulty levels - Complication scenarios - Assessment criteria
3. Feedback and Iteration - Realism evaluation - Usability testing - Feature prioritization - Bug reporting
Resources Provided¶
- Access to operating rooms: Observation of procedures
- Medical images: Anonymized CT/MRI datasets
- Equipment: Needles, ablation systems for reference
- Facilities: Testing and demonstration space
Clinical Validation¶
Study Design¶
Phase 1: Face Validity - Expert review of simulator - Content validation - Realism assessment
Phase 2: Construct Validity - Skill differentiation (novice vs expert) - Learning curves - Performance metrics
Phase 3: Transfer of Training - Simulator to patient transfer - Retention study - Cost-effectiveness analysis
Ethical Approval¶
- IRB: Institutional Review Board approval obtained
- Consent: Informed consent for all participants
- Privacy: Data anonymization protocols
- Safety: No patient risk in simulation studies
Impact¶
Medical Education¶
Current Training Challenges: - Limited patient access for practice - High-stakes learning environment - Variability in case exposure - Subjective skill assessment
SPECULAR Solution: - Unlimited practice opportunities - Risk-free environment - Standardized scenarios - Objective performance metrics
Patient Outcomes¶
Expected Benefits: - Improved procedural outcomes - Reduced complication rates - Shorter procedure times - Better patient experience
Collaboration Network¶
Additional Partners¶
- Other French hospitals: Multi-center validation planned
- European partners: Horizon Europe proposal
- Medical societies: SFR (Société Française de Radiologie)
- Training centers: Partnerships for deployment
Publications¶
Clinical Publications¶
- "Training in Percutaneous Liver Ablation: Current Challenges" - In preparation
- "Validation of a VR Simulator for Interventional Radiology" - Planned 2025
Conference Presentations¶
- CIRSE 2024: Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiological Society
- SFR 2024: French Radiology Society annual meeting
Contact¶
CHU Strasbourg Department of Interventional Radiology 1 place de l'Hôpital 67091 Strasbourg Cedex, France
Medical Coordinator [Name]@chru-strasbourg.fr
The medical partners ensure that SPECULAR addresses real clinical needs and can make a meaningful impact on patient care.