VR offers radiologists a 3D look at splenic aneurysms
A team from Stanford University used virtual reality (VR) technology to turn CT scans into 3D images to help radiologists prepare to repair splenic artery aneurysms.
"Pre-operative planning is possibly the most important step towards successfully treating a patient, so the value of VR cannot be understated,” said collaborating author Zlatko Devcic, MD, a fellow of interventional radiology at Stanford University School of Medicine. “This technology gives us a totally different way to look at that structure and safely plan our approach to patient care.”
The results were presented March 18 at the Society of Interventional Radiology’s 2018 Annual Scientific Meeting in Los Angeles.
In the study, three radiologists examined 17 splenic artery aneurysms with both VR and standard CT methods. Accuracy in identifying inflow and outflow arteries was similar between VR and CT, though the radiologists were significantly more confident in findings via VR.
“This new platform allows you to view a patient’s arterial anatomy in a 3D image, as if it is right in front of you, which may help interventional radiologists more quickly and thoroughly plan for the equipment and tools they’ll need for a successful outcome.,” Devcic said.
Researchers hope future research will help reduce treatment time, which would limit radiation and contrast exposure to patients.
Nicholas joined TriMed in 2016 as the managing editor of the Chicago office. After receiving his master’s from Roosevelt University, he worked in various writing/editing roles for magazines ranging in topic from billiards to metallurgy. Currently on Chicago’s north side, Nicholas keeps busy by running, reading and talking to his two cats.