Abstract

Augmented and Virtual Reality visualization techniques are finally finding their ways into many operative suites. As novel intra-operative, multi-modality imaging techniques provide the surgical crew with rich co-registered in-situ information, their integration, validation and deployment become active subjects of research for the Computer Assisted Interventions (CAI) community. In this talk I will first present some of our latest results as exemplary cases. I will then try to talk about the challenges the CAI community faces before such techniques get adopted by providers and turn into commodity in routine procedures.

In particular, I will trace the Freehand SPECT and Camera Augmented Mobile C-arm (CAMC) from the early development of research ideas within our multi-disciplinary research laboratories to their deployment in different surgical suites. I first focus on the theoretical concepts of navigated nuclear probe imaging within operating room. The multi-disciplinary nature of this research guides us through different aspects of medical physics, computer assisted surgery and advanced imaging and visualization. I will then show how the “real world laboratory” at our university hospital demonstrates its efficiency through the smooth path it paves for bringing the CAMC into the surgical theatre. I will finally try to discuss some of the interesting and exciting challenges that the CAI community needs to face in the upcoming years.