Learning by playing – using computer games to enhance ultrasound education

In ultrasound education, there is often a lack of hands-on experience due to the limited availability of experienced tutors, patients, volunteers, and ultrasound machines. Simulators can substitute training with real humans to some extent, but they are not widely used, mainly because of their costs. Playing a computer game might be a way to add to the training opportunities in ultrasound education. An example for such a game is the SonoGame that has been developed as part of a medical imaging research project with the help of computer science students from the Flensburg University of Applied Sciences in Germany. This simulation-based game requires only a standard computer and off-the-shelf gaming hardware, thus making it widely deployable.