Two CAR members have come together to share their musculoskeletal expertise and developed an innovative new app for radiologists called ArthroGuide.
Dr. Nathalie Bureau, Professor of Radiology and Clinical Scientist at the University of Montréal, and Dr. Marta Oñate Miranda, faculty member of the radiology department at the University of Sherbrooke, teamed up to create ArthroGuide, a mobile app to help radiologists learn more and improve their practices in fluoroscopy-guided injections.
“Our vision was to provide radiologists with a dynamic tool that would enhance their learning experience and facilitate their daily practice,” said Dr. Bureau. “As academic radiologists, we discovered that ArthroGuide was also very useful to teach these procedures. Drawing on our hands-on experience in interventional musculoskeletal radiology and an extensive review of the scientific literature, ArthroGuide encapsulates over 25 years of expertise. Countless hours were spent refining the user interface, conducting extensive testing, and seeking feedback from colleagues. Hence, both of us use ArthroGuide almost every day to teach residents and fellows.”
The idea for ArthroGuide can be traced back to Dr. Bureau’s fellowship when she discovered the need for a comprehensive reference on performing arthrograms and fluoroscopy-guided pain management injections and decided to take on the challenge of building a foundational document. “It became evident that there was a lack of easily accessible information detailing precautionary measures, patient positioning, materials required, and step-by-step instructions for successful execution. Determined to address this gap, and to facilitate my work as a teacher, I set out to create a document that would serve as a practical guide for residents and fellows.”
Dr. Bureau continuously refined the document and collected cases with the hopes of it becoming a textbook one day in the future. New techniques were added, and the information was continuously updated with superior fluoroscopy images and diagrams. She connected with Dr. Oñate Miranda in 2017, who was a fellow at the University of Montréal at the time.
“During her fellowship, we collaborated on various research projects, published scientific papers, and presented educational posters at prestigious scientific meetings,” said Dr. Bureau. “Before coming to Montréal, Dr. Oñate Miranda had even developed and patented a program for radiology case collection and reporting, a testament to her tech-savvy mind.”
The pair teamed up with a developer, who was experienced in medical applications, to transform the document into a cutting-edge mobile app.
“We systematically collected fluoroscopy images for each procedure and meticulously organized the content, ensuring its accessibility and clarity within the mobile application format,” said Dr. Bureau. “We seamlessly integrated interactive features, including high-resolution images and diagrams. ArthroGuide became a comprehensive resource, offering step-by-step instructions, precautionary measures, and in-depth information on patient positioning and materials required.”
The app was officially launched on the Apple App Store in January 2022 and is currently available in English, French, and Spanish. Both Dr. Bureau and Dr. Oñate Miranda are exploring the possibility of offering this app in the future on Android or eBook platforms.