Comparing a virtual reality head-mounted display to on-screen three-dimensional visualization and two-dimensional...

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Training
• Virtual Reality Applications

Background:

• Liver surgery training requires complex analysis of radiological images and clinical data.
• Traditional 2D imaging presents challenges in accurately assessing complex liver anatomy and pathology.
• A novel VR environment with HMD technology offers interactive visualization for surgical planning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the benefits of a VR environment using an HMD for decision-making in liver surgery training.
• To compare the effectiveness of VR, 3D visualization, and 2D-tomography in analyzing liver surgery cases.

Main Methods:

• Ninety medical students were randomized into three groups: 2D-tomography, 3D visualization, and VR (Oculus Rift HMD).
• Participants analyzed three liver surgery patient cases of increasing difficulty.
• Performance was assessed via 11 questions on anatomy, tumor involvement, and surgical decisions, plus 18 evaluative Likert-scale questions.

Main Results:

• Both 3D and VR groups showed significantly higher correct answers (7.1 ± 1.4) compared to the 2D group (5.4 ± 1.4).
• Decision-making time was significantly faster in the 3D (6:44 ± 02:22 min) and VR (6:24 ± 02:43 min) groups versus the 2D group (09:13 ± 03:10 min).
• The VR environment was rated most useful for identifying anatomical anomalies, risks, target structures, and transferring information to the intraoperative setting.

Conclusions:

• VR environments with HMDs serve as valuable surgical training tools for liver surgery.
• VR facilitates accurate and rapid determination of liver anatomy and tumor involvement.
• This technology enhances surgical decision-making and intraoperative planning.