Simulation system and methods for surgical training

A surgery simulation system, comprising:

• a physical three-dimensional model of a region of a human, the physical three-dimensional model comprising a plurality of physical three-dimensional submodels of anatomical structures therein, each of the plurality of physical three-dimensional submodels corresponding to a corresponding actual anatomical structure of the human located in the region, the physical three-dimensional model of the region being a three-dimensional print generated based at least in part on a three-dimensional image and each of the plurality of physical three-dimensional submodels having a haptic characteristic similar to the corresponding actual anatomical structure of the region of the human;
• a three-dimensional imitation instrument of an actual surgical instrument of a type that is suitable for performing surgery in the region;
• and
• a fluoroscope simulator in which a three-dimensional radiological image of the region and the anatomical structures therein are stored or computed by a computer system, the fluoroscope simulator being configured to:
• register a spatial location and orientation of the physical three-dimensional model of the region and individually register a spatial location and orientation of each of the plurality of physical three-dimensional submodels therein, wherein the spatial location and orientation of the physical three-dimensional model is determined using an electromagnetic sensor positioned relative to the physical three-dimensional model;
• register a spatial location and orientation of the three-dimensional imitation instrument, wherein the spatial location and orientation of the three-dimensional imitation instrument is determined using the electromagnetic sensor positioned relative to the physical three-dimensional model;
• control, in response to user inputs, a simulation of operating characteristics and configuration of a simulated fluoroscope registered in the computer system including a simulated location and orientation of an X-ray source of the simulated fluoroscope registered in the computer system relative to the physical three-dimensional model registered in the computer system, an intensity of X-ray radiation supplied by the X-ray source, and a duration of delivery of the X-ray radiation;
• display a simulated fluoroscopic image that comprises a virtualization registered in the computer system of the physical three-dimensional model in accordance with the spatial locations and orientations of the physical three-dimensional model and the plurality of physical three-dimensional submodels therein, and a virtualization of the three-dimensional imitation instrument registered in the computer system relative to the simulated location and orientation of the X-ray source registered in the computer system;
• and
• determine a proficiency metric based at least in part on the intensity of the X-ray radiation and the duration of delivery of the X-ray radiation.

A method of teaching a medical student to perform a surgical operation on a human being, the surgical operation being of a type that is conventionally performed using a physical fluoroscope, the method comprising:

• providing the medical student with a three-dimensional physical model upon which the medical student can perform a simulation of the surgical operation, the three-dimensional physical model containing a three-dimensional print of an anatomical structure of interest of a human being based at least in part on a three-dimensional radiological image, the three-dimensional print having haptic characteristics similar to those of the anatomical structure of interest;
• providing the medical student with a three-dimensional imitation instrument of an actual surgical instrument of a type that is suitable for performing the surgical operation;
• positioning an electromagnetic sensor below the three-dimensional physical model, the electromagnetic sensor in data communication with at least one computing device having a fluoroscope simulator executable thereon;
• providing the medical student with the fluoroscope simulator executable on the at least one computing device in which the three-dimensional radiological image is stored or computed by the at least one computing device, the fluoroscope simulator causing the at least one computing device to at least:
• register spatial locations and orientations of the three-dimensional physical model and the three-dimensional print using the electromagnetic sensor positioned below the three-dimensional physical model,
• register a spatial location and orientation of the three-dimensional imitation instrument using the electromagnetic sensor positioned below the three-dimensional physical model,
• simulate a location and an orientation of an X-ray source of a simulated fluoroscope registered in the at least one computing device in accordance with at least one operating characteristic and at least one configuration of the simulated fluoroscope registered in the at least one computing device,
• simulate an intensity of X-ray radiation and a duration of delivery of the X-ray radiation supplied from the X-ray source of the simulated fluoroscope registered in the at least one computing device in response to user input by the medical student, and
• display a plurality of simulated fluoroscopic images that comprise a virtualization registered in the at least one computing device of the three-dimensional physical model in accordance with the spatial locations and positions of the three-dimensional physical model and a virtualization registered in the at least one computing device of the three-dimensional imitation instrument in accordance with a simulated location and orientation of the X-ray source of the simulated fluoroscope registered in the at least one computing device;
• requiring the medical student to perform a simulation of the surgical operation on the three-dimensional physical model using the three-dimensional imitation instrument while operating the X-ray source of the simulated fluoroscope registered in the at least one computing device;
• registering movement of the three-dimensional imitation instrument and operation of the X-ray source of the simulated fluoroscope registered in the at least one computing device during performance of the simulation of the surgical operation;
• and
• determining a proficiency metric based at least in part on the simulated duration of delivery of the X-ray radiation and the simulated intensity of the X-ray radiation, the proficiency metric representing a measurement of the student's proficiency in performing the simulation of the surgical operation.