Augmenting Image-Guided Procedures through In Situ Visualization of 3D Ultrasound via a Head-Mounted Display

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Augmented Reality
• Ultrasound Technology

Background:

• Medical ultrasound (US) is crucial for image-guided procedures.
• Augmented reality (AR) head-mounted displays (HMDs) enhance 2D US visualization, reducing task times and improving accuracy.
• Real-time volumetric (3D) US visualization in AR remains an underexplored area for guiding interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate the first AR HMD application for real-time 3D US visualization in guiding vascular punctures.
• To compare the performance of 3D US AR with 2D US AR in a simulated vascular puncture task.
• To assess the technical feasibility and user experience of the 3D US AR system.

Main Methods:

• Development of an AR HMD system for real-time 3D ultrasound visualization.
• A mixed-methods user study involving a qualitative prestudy and a quantitative main study.
• Simulation of a vascular puncture task to evaluate performance metrics including time and success rate.
• Technical evaluation of system latency and frame rate.

Main Results:

• Participants using the 3D US AR system completed the vascular puncture task 28.4% faster than those using 2D US AR.
• The success rate for vascular puncture was higher in the 3D US AR group (72%) compared to the 2D US AR group (50%).
• The system demonstrated low latency (49.90 ± 12.92 ms) and a 60 Hz frame rate.

Conclusions:

• The developed AR HMD system for real-time 3D US visualization is feasible for guiding vascular punctures.
• 3D US AR offers significant benefits over 2D US AR, primarily by reducing task completion time.
• Volumetric visualization in AR holds promise for enhancing the performance of ultrasound-guided procedures.