Virtual Reality in Medicine - 'SpectoVive' Gives Surgeons 3D Views

Before an operation, surgeons have to obtain the most precise image possible of the anatomical structures of the part of the body undergoing surgery. University of Basel  researchers developed a technology that uses computed tomography data to generate a three-dimensional image in real time for use in a virtual environment. Using sophisticated programming and graphics cards, the team sped up the volume rendering to reach the necessary frame rate. The SpectoVive system can perform fluid shadow rendering, which is important for creating a realistic impression of depth. The researchers see the greatest potential in the areas of diagnostics, surgical planning, and medical training.

Transcript

00:00:05 for the miracle Flagship project at the University of Basel we developed this virtual reality room what is unique about this virtual reality room is that for the first time we provide volum rendered images in real time which allows surgeons and Radiologists to visualize their medical image data sets uh using volume rendering time they can walk around they

00:00:37 can grab the object um reposition it they can also change the size zoom in or zoom out rotate it at will so that they have the most comfortable and best view of the scene as an additional option we also gave them a cutting plane this cutting plane can be used to either cut through the volumetric data set uh to for example cut open the skull

00:01:13 or the rib cage for better view of the scene behind it but at the same time I can also switch this cutting plane into the CT mod so I have a plane which is can be freely moved around and visualizes the CT the original CT data set behind the scene and this virtual reality room provides a very intuitive way of positioning

00:01:39 these cutting planes in 3D space during the project we realized that the Shadows caused by the objects are quite crucial for an increased depth perception in order to emphasize this we also integrated an no lamp into the scene this over lamp can now be switched on and we can freely select the brightness of this o lamp and if we move around this o lamp we can see that the Shadows

00:02:09 caused by for example the rib cage continuously change with the motion of the over lamp and exactly these Shadows are quite crucial for an increased depth perception this virtual reality room developed as part of the V seamons Foundation funded Miracle project was only made possible with the recent development of uh virtual reality

00:02:36 glasses as well as GP Graphics Hardware of course combined with our quite unique um volume rendering framework