In:
Frontiers in Public Health, Frontiers Media SA, Vol. 11 ( 2023-7-10)
Abstract:
Regular check-up with ultrasound in underserved rural and/or remote areas is hampered due to the limited availability of sonologists and ultrasound devices. This study aimed to assess the feasibility and satisfaction of health check-ups with a 5G-based robotic teleultrasound diagnostic system. Methods In this prospective study, sonologists from two hospitals manipulated the telerobotic ultrasound system to perform teleultrasound check-ups of the liver, gallbladder, pancreas, spleen, kidneys, bladder, prostate (male), uterus and ovaries (female) for the subjects. The feasibility and satisfaction of health check-ups with a 5G-based robotic teleultrasound diagnostic system were evaluated in terms of examination results, examination duration, and satisfaction questionnaire survey. Results A total of 546 subjects were included with the most frequently diagnosed being abdominal disorders ( n = 343) and male reproductive illnesses ( n = 97), of which fatty liver ( n = 204) and prostatic calcification ( n = 54) were the most. The median teleultrasound examination duration (interquartile range) for men and women was 9 (9–11) min and 9 (7–11) min ( p = 0.236), respectively. All the subjects were satisfied with this new type of telerobotic ultrasound check-ups and 96% reported no fear of the robotic arm during the examination. Conclusion The 5G-based teleultrasound robotic diagnostic system in health check-ups is feasible and satisfactory, indicating that this teleultrasound robot system may have significant application value in underserved rural and/or remote areas to mitigate disparity in achieving health equity.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
2296-2565
DOI:
10.3389/fpubh.2023.1149964
Language:
Unknown
Publisher:
Frontiers Media SA
Publication Date:
2023
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2711781-9
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