Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41811677›Full record

ArticleInternational journal of computer assisted radiology and surgery2026

Mixed reality simulator for ultrasound-guided thyroid nodule radiofrequency ablation: development and technical validation.

Aidan Mather, Joseph Zachary, Naykky Singh Ospina, Gonzalo J Acosta, Samsun Lampotang, Christopher Samouce

Abstract readValidation Study
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in International journal of computer assisted radiology and surgery, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Aidan MatherDepartment of Anesthesiology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, USA.
Joseph ZacharyDepartment of Radiology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, USA.
Naykky Singh OspinaDivision of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, USA.
Gonzalo J AcostaDivision of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, USA.
Samsun LampotangDepartment of Anesthesiology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, USA.
Christopher SamouceDepartment of Anesthesiology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, USA. csamouce@ufl.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0001-9846-4721

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeUltrasound-guided radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of benign thyroid nodules is an effective, minimally invasive alternative to surgery but has a steep learning curve and limited formal training options. Toward addressing this gap, we developed a mixed reality simulator for thyroid nodule RFA.

methodsWe implemented a real-time, voxel-based heat-transfer model of a thyroid nodule that computes temperature, thermal damage, and temperature-dependent impedance within a mixed reality simulator. The model was calibrated and verified with published RFA data from a thermal property-matched thyroid phantom and validated against published ex vivo lesion volumes. The simulator provides configurable nodule size and location, renders RFA ultrasound artifacts and lesion visualization, computes quantitative ablation metrics, and includes an interactive virtual RFA generator interface.

resultsSimulated temperature-time curves matched phantom sensor readings with a root mean square error of 1.4 °C. Simulated lesion volumes were within - 7.3% to + 0.9% of the ex vivo reference across 1.0-0.125 mm

conclusionThe simulator closely reproduced phantom temperature profiles and ex vivo lesion sizes. Its architecture is configurable and extensible to other organs and thermal ablation modalities. Formal educational studies are warranted to evaluate training effectiveness of the simulator.

Indexed as

Computer SimulationRadiofrequency AblationSurgery, Computer-AssistedThyroid NoduleUltrasonography, InterventionalHumansPhantoms, ImagingComputer simulationMixed realityRadiofrequency ablationSimulation trainingThermal modelingThyroid noduleUltrasonography

Identifiers

PMID41811677

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.