Evaluation of visualization techniques for image-guided navigation in liver surgery.

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Surgical Navigation
• Human-Computer Interaction

Background:

• Three-dimensional (3D) visualization is crucial for surgeon orientation in image-guided surgery systems (IGSS).
• Accurate perception of complex anatomy and spatial relationships is vital for successful intraoperative navigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate four different 3D visualization techniques within an IGSS for intraoperative orientation.
• To assess surgeons' ability to perceive virtual scenes and perform navigation tasks in a real-world context.

Main Methods:

• An IGSS was developed to visualize tracked surgical instruments relative to critical intrahepatic structures (vessels, tumor, resection planes).
• Eight surgeons evaluated four distinct visualization techniques, including an autostereoscopic display with a prism-based system.
• Experiments focused on measuring surgeons' intrahepatic orientation and spatial perception transfer to real-world movements.

Main Results:

• The autostereoscopic visualization with a prism-based display enabled faster and more accurate navigation compared to other techniques.
• Surgeons demonstrated improved ability to orient intrahepatically and translate perceived spatial relationships into physical actions.

Conclusions:

• Autostereoscopic 3D visualization significantly enhances spatial perception and navigation performance in image-guided surgery.
• This technology offers a promising advancement for improving surgeon orientation and precision in complex surgical procedures.