Grant: Undergraduate: Mobility, musculoskeletal health and arthritis - ICS

Facet syndrome is a condition that may cause 15-45% of chronic lower back pain. It is commonly diagnosed and treated using facet joint injections, a procedure that involves injecting anesthetic into the facet joints (the joints linking adjacent vertebrae together). Because facet joint injections require accurate needle placement, computed tomography (CT) and fluoroscopy imaging are often used to guide the needle insertion; however, more recently ultrasound (US) has also been shown to be a promising modality for guidance. US is a particularly attractive alternative to CT and fluoroscopy because it is affordable, time efficient and obviates radiation risks. US-guided injections, however, require physicians to interpret 2-D US images while simultaneously manipulating an US probe and needle; this is a particularly difficult task with a long learning curve. It follows that in order to establish US as the standard guidance modality for facet joint injections, and reap its benefits, improved training methodologies that will allow trainees to quickly master the requisite skills are needed. To address this need, we have developed the Perk Tutor, an augmented reality training system for US-guided needle insertions. Results from a recent pilot study suggest that Perk Tutor training leads improved improved trainee performance. The project aims to strengthen the results of this pilot study through an expanded study that will comprehensively establish the effectiveness of Perk Tutor training.