Clinical evaluation of a fluoroscopic image-based laser guidance system in bone tumor surgery: A technical note

This study presents a laser guidance system developed to enhance surgical accuracy and reduce radiation exposure in orthopedic surgeries. The system can project the actual position corresponding to the appointed position selected by the surgeon on a fluoroscopic image using a line laser and has laser projection ability to mark the corresponding point using a line laser. The surgeon does not have to perform anatomical marker placement for calibration. Three patients with bone tumors underwent surgeries using the laser guidance system, and the projection accuracy was evaluated by measuring the distance error between the appointed and laser-marking positions. The installation time, including calibration, was also assessed for clinical usability. The average projection accuracy in bone tumor surgery was 2.86 mm, and the average installation time was 7 min. These results demonstrate that the laser guidance system, with a projection error of <3 mm, could be useful in bone tumor surgeries.