A Virtual Reality Environment to Visualize Three-Dimensional Patient-Specific Models by a Mobile Head-Mounted Display

Abstract

Introduction. With the availability of low-cost head-mounted displays (HMDs), virtual reality environments (VREs) are increasingly being used in medicine for teaching and clinical purposes. Our aim was to develop an interactive, userfriendly VRE for tridimensional visualization of patient-specific organs, establishing a workflow to transfer 3-dimensional (3D) models from imaging datasets to our immersive VRE. Materials and Methods. This original VRE model was built using open-source software and a mobile HMD, Samsung Gear VR. For its validation, we enrolled 33 volunteers: morphologists (n = 11), trainee surgeons (n = 15), and expert surgeons (n = 7). They tried our VRE and then filled in an original 5-point Likert-type scale 6-item questionnaire, considering the following parameters: ease of use, anatomy comprehension compared with 2D radiological imaging, explanation of anatomical variations, explanation of surgical procedures, preoperative planning, and experience of gastrointestinal/neurological disorders. Results in the 3 groups were statistically compared using analysis of variance. Results. Using cross-sectional medical imaging, the developed VRE allowed to visualize a 3D patient-specific abdominal scene in 1 hour. Overall, the 6 items were evaluated positively by all groups; only anatomy comprehension was statistically significant different among the 3 groups. Conclusions. Our approach, based on open-source software and mobile hardware, proved to be a valid and well-appreciated system to visualize 3D patient-specific models, paving the way for a potential new tool for teaching and preoperative planning.

Immersive Virtual Reality for Patient-Specific Preoperative Planning: A Systematic Review

“…The majority of studies were conducted in the discipline of neurosurgery (10/24; 42%), 22 , 30 , 36 – 42 with the remaining studies conducted in urology (5/24; 21%), 25 , 28 , 29 , 34 , 35 cardiothoracic surgery (3/24; 13%), 24 , 26 , 32 general surgery (2/24; 8%), 23 , 33 orthopedic surgery (2/24; 8%), 20 , 43 plastic surgery (1/24; 4%), 21 and combined general surgery and urology (1/24; 4%). 27 In total, 264 medical personnel were included across all studies, with the exception of three studies, 20 , 21 , 36 which did not report the number of surgeons who participated.…”

“… 35 Headsets using smartphone inputs were also used, including Google Cardboard (Alphabet Inc., United States; 2/24), 28 , 29 VR One Plus (Zeiss, Germany; 1/24), 22 and Samsung Gear (Korea; 1/24). 33 The hardware used in one study was not specified. 43 CT or MRI scans served as the input image source for all studies, although one study additionally incorporated lymphoscintigraphy.…”

“…Four cross-sectional studies asked users to rate the feasibility of iVR incorporation into regular preoperative practice. 23 , 26 , 31 , 33 Results were mixed: two studies demonstrated good feasibility, 26 , 33 and two studies were equivalent. 23 , 31 Notably, one study found that feasibility was rated lower with advancing stages of surgical training.…”

Developing Virtual Reality Head Mounted Display (HMD) Set-Up for Thoracoscopic Surgery of Complex Congenital Lung MalFormations in Children

“…A previously developed app [ 15 ] readapted for Oculus Quest was used to provide the surgical team with an immersive visualization of the 3D reconstruction inside a dedicated Virtual Reality Environment (VRE).…”

Pediatric Urolithiasis: Current Surgical Strategies and Future Perspectives

“…Thanks to the visual input coming from the head-mounted display, the external world is replaced by one developed by a computer, allowing the users to dive into a novel virtual world. VR is increasingly used in medicine for many purposes, in particular in surgical training, education, and preoperative planning ( 34 , 35 ).…”