Disclaimer: The information herein is not intended to replace the product’s User Manual. Please consult the User Manual for comprehensive information and cautionary guidance about the product’s operation and use.

The Protocol Creator app enables Vscan Extend™ users to create a customized exam script that will help guide users through an ultrasound image acquisition protocol for a Vscan Extend exam.


These protocols can help increase consistency with exams by providing a list of scan planes and context-sensitive help.


Automated presets for all steps and automated annotations for saved images are provided to help enhance productivity.


Users can also customize protocols to include ultrasound images that can be used as reference during the exam.


Vscan Extend is a trademark of General Electric Company.



NOTE: * Applications under GE Marketplace are available as options (not available in all geographies).


Creating A New Protocol

1. Press Start a protocol from the Menu screen.


2. Press CREATE A PROTOCOL on the Protocols screen.


3. Enter a name for the protocol.

NOTE: This step is mandatory. If you do not enter a name, an error message displays indicating to add protocol name, while trying to save the protocol or moving to the next step.


4. Enter a description about the protocol.

NOTE: Entering the description is optional.
NOTE: The maximum length for a protocol name and description is 50 characters.


Adding a step

1. Press ADD STEP on the Create new steps screen.

Add Step

 

2. Enter a step name.


3. Select a preset for this step.

Select a preset


4. Add reference images for the step. For detailed instructions on how to add reference images refer to ‘Adding reference images to a step’ below.

NOTE: Adding the reference images is optional.


5. Enter the user instructions for that step.

NOTE: Entering user instructions is optional.

6. Press “SAVE STEP” to add the created step to the protocol.

 

Adding additional steps

1. Press Add Step to add the next step.


2. Follow the steps described above to enter name, select preset, to add reference images and to enter user instructions for each new step that is added.


Repeat the procedure to add as many steps as needed to the protocol.


Adding reference images from a PC to Vscan Extend

1. The reference images to be added to a protocol step should be uploaded to a pre-defined folder on the Vscan Extend device from a PC.

NOTE: The recommended format for reference images is .mp4 and .jpeg. If you upload any other formats than .mp4 and .jpeg, the system displays an error message.


2. Connect the device to a PC via the USB cable.


A pop-up message “Allow system to connect to PC. Further interaction with device is blocked” displays. Press Allow to connect.


3. Create a folder named “Protocol” on the device in the following path.

Computer\Pixel V2+\Phone storage\Protocol


4. Create another folder named “Images” inside the “Protocol” folder.


5. Copy the reference images from the PC to “Images” folder.

NOTE: The recommended format for reference images is .mp4 and .jpeg. If you upload any other formats than .mp4 and .jpeg, the system displays an error message. The recommended resolution of the reference images is 240 x 320. If you try to upload an image with a different resolution, the system scales the size to maintain the aspect ratio of the original image.


6. Disconnect the device from the PC.


Adding reference images to a step

You can add reference images to a step from a pre-defined folder having selected images.


1. Press Add reference images which takes you to a pre-populated folder having reference images used for this purpose.

Add reference images

 

2. Select a reference image from the available images.


3. Provide a title for the reference image. The reference image could be an example of a normal or a pathology image.


4. Press the delete button on the image thumbnail to remove any reference image added incorrectly to a step.


Remove reference image

 

 

5. Press the empty thumbnail  to add additional reference images for the current step.

Multiple reference images can be added to a step.


Saving the protocol

1. After you have finished adding all steps for the protocol, press Save Protocol to complete creating the protocol.

Save Protocol

 

2. Press Menu -> Start a protocol to view the user created protocols under My Protocols.

Refer to the ‘Creating a new protocol’ to create additional protocols.

Refer to the ‘ Edit an existing user created protocol’ to edit protocols.


Protocol Creator Settings

1. Press Menu -> Start a protocol


2. Press Settings icon on the user created protocol under My Protocols.

Settings


Edit an existing user created protocol

1. Press Edit button to modify the current protocol.


Make the desired changes to the Protocol name or Description.


2. Press Next to add/ delete/modify protocol steps, instructions and reference content.


3. Press Save Protocol to save your changes.


Deleting a protocol

1. Press Delete button to delete the protocol.

 Delete protocol 


A popup displays to confirm delete action.

Delete protocol message

 

 

 

Other Settings

Click the desired checkboxes to set up the system to your preferences:

  • Soft key hints - shows user interface hints for this protocol
  • User instructions - shows instruction for the particular step
  • Steps overview page - displays the list of steps for the protocol prior to the exam


Using Protocol Creator App

1. Press Menu -> Start a protocol. Select the desired protocol under My Protocols from the protocol page.

Choose protocol

 

2. Press START button on the Steps Overview screen to start the protocol.

NOTE: The Steps Overview screen displays only if you have enabled the checkbox under settings. If not, the protocol goes directly to the first step after selecting Start a protocol from the Menu page.
NOTE: You can choose to press on any step name on the Steps Overview screen to start that protocol from that particular step.


3. Press a step name on the Steps Overview screen. User Instructions message box displays for the step.

NOTE: The User instructions display only if you have enabled the checkbox under settings.


4. Press OK on the message box to return to the scan screen.

The live screen displays the following interface elements for the current protocol:

  • Current step name - displays the step text. For example, Parasternal Long - B mode
  • Step number - displays previous (for example 2), current (3) and next step numbers (4)
  • Info icon - invokes Scan Coach help windows for current step
NOTE: The info icon is visible only if the custom protocol has reference images attached to it.

While acquiring an image in a particular step, Press the Info (i’) icon to access Scan Coach reference help for that step.

Scan Coach reference window displays with two tabs - Reference and Steps.

Reference window


 

  • Reference - Provides access to multiple ultrasound image examples that have been attached to the current scan plane. You can access all available reference images swiping left or right.
NOTE:  By default the reference image tab is activated when you press the info icon for the first time. The white color in the image header represents an example of a normal image, while red color represents an example of a pathology image.
NOTE: When you toggle between Scan Coach window and the live scan screen, the system remembers and displays the last seen Scan Coach tab.
  • Steps - checklist of all steps showing the completion status for each step.
NOTE: A green dot next to the thumbnail of the saved image indicates the completion status of the step.


5. Once you acquire an image for the current step, press Store.

The stored image shows the current step name.

The red dot next to the step turns green on the Steps Overview page.


6. Enter the storage PIN when you store the image for the first time.

NOTE: A device PIN has to be created for security purposes to access or store images/ videos. This PIN is created prior to the first use or after the system has been reset. Once the PIN is set, the user is prompted for the PIN when:

  • Images/videos are stored in the spooler
  • User wishes to store an image/video
  • The session duration time has expired


NOTE: You can store multiple images for a particular scan plane, if you wish. All the images are annotated with the step name.


7. Swipe right to left to navigate to the next step.


8. Complete the acquisition procedure described above. Follow the same procedure for the remaining steps in the protocol.


9. After you complete acquisition for all the steps, a message displays - Moving to session summary. Press OK.


NOTE: You can swipe right to left to go to the next step, without storing the image, if you wish.  In such a case, the step does not get registered as complete. You will see a red icon next to the image in the Session Completed screen.

Session completed screen displays.


10. Check the status of the steps on the Session Completed screen.

NOTE: You can either navigate directly to a step to acquire any missing views or exit the protocol.


11. When you have completed all the acquisition and wish to exit the protocol, press Exit to quit the protocol.

OR

Press Cancel to update captures.

NOTE: If you wish to stop the protocol in the middle of a scan, press the Menu icon on the header. Press “Stop current protocol”.

 

Export and Import Protocols

You can export or import protocols via a USB cable connected to a PC.

User-defined protocols created using Protocol Creator tool can be exported to a PC for back-up and subsequently imported to other Vscan Extend devices that have the Protocol Creator app installed on them.

NOTE:  Once the Protocol Creator application uninstalls, you cannot run the custom protocol already created.
NOTE:  When you create a new protocol, a folder named “Protocol” gets created automatically in the device under Phone Storage. Under this Protocol folder Import folder and Images folder also gets created.

Export Protocols

1. Press Settings on the protocol page.


2. Press Export this protocol.



Export this protocol


3. A popup displays asking to confirm protocol export. Press Export.

The protocol exports to a folder Protocol\Export on the device.

Protocol export success popup message displays. Connect the device to PC and copy the exported protocol from “\Protocol\Export folder” to use on another Vscan Extend device if needed.

NOTE: Export folder under Protocols folder gets created only when you press “Export this protocol” button.
NOTE: Exam images do not get exported while exporting protocol.


Import protocols

1. Connect the device to a PC via the USB cable.

A pop-up message “Allow system to connect to PC.Further interaction with device is blocked” displays. Press Allow to connect.


2. Create a folder named “Protocol” on the device in the following path, if not already created.


Computer\Pixel V2+\Phone storage\Protocol


3. Create another folder named “Import” under the “Protocol” folder, if not already created.


4. Copy the specific protocol into Import folder on the device.


5. When you access the Protocol screen next time, a pop-up message displays that new protocols are available for import. You can choose to import or cancel the new protocols.

Import Protocol


 

6. Press Import to import the new protocols. Imported protocols are available under the My protocols list.