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Towards a First-Person Perspective Mixed Reality Guidance System for Needle Interventions
Leah Groves1, Natalie Li1, Terry M Peters1,2
1School of Biomedical Engineering, Western University, London, ON N6A 3K7, Canada.
Journal of Imaging
|January 20, 2022
Summary
Mixed-reality systems, particularly head-mounted displays (HMDs), significantly improve ultrasound-guided central venous catheterization success rates by aligning visual and motor fields. This advanced guidance reduces complications compared to traditional ultrasound methods.
Area of Science:
- Medical Imaging
- Surgical Navigation
- Mixed Reality
Background:
- Ultrasound (US) guidance reduces complications in central venous catheterization but has non-negligible error rates.
- Mixed-reality (MR) systems offer potential for enhanced surgical navigation and reduced procedural risks.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of a surgical navigation system rendering calibrated US images and needle trajectories within a mixed-reality head-mounted display (HMD).
- To compare HMD-guided visualization against standard US-guidance and monitor-based visualization for central venous catheterization.
Main Methods:
- A phantom-based user study involving 31 expert clinicians and 20 medical students.
- Participants performed needle insertions using three visualization modes: US-only, monitor-based MR, and HMD-based MR.
- Success rates and needle positioning accuracy were measured for each mode.
Main Results:
- HMD-guidance significantly improved success rates for both experts (94% vs. 70%) and students (70% vs. 25%) compared to US-guidance.
- Needle placement was more consistently centered within the vessel's lumen under HMD-guidance.
- Monitor-based MR guidance showed performance comparable to US-only guidance.
Conclusions:
- Head-mounted display (HMD) guidance enhances needle guidance accuracy and success rates in central venous catheterization.
- Aligning visual and motor fields through HMDs is crucial for improving procedural outcomes.
- Further research into HMD-based surgical navigation is warranted to optimize patient safety and procedural efficiency.
