A Narrative Review on 3-Dimensional Visualization Techniques in Neurosurgical Education, Simulation, and Planning

Area of Science:

• Medical imaging and visualization
• Neurosurgical education and simulation

Background:

• High-fidelity 3D anatomical visualization is essential for neurosurgical education, simulation, and planning, especially for minimally invasive procedures.
• Current reviews often overlook technical principles, focusing instead on applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a narrative review of the technical principles and methods used in 3D medical visualization.
• To bridge the gap in understanding the underlying technology for realistic anatomical visualization.

Main Methods:

• Conducted a literature review of 3D medical visualization technology from 2018-2023 using PubMed and Google Scholar.
• Compiled and analyzed accessible software applications to understand their functionalities.

Main Results:

• Presents fundamental technologies underpinning 3D medical visualization for neurosurgical applications.
• Discusses and categorizes key applications based on their utilized 3D visualization techniques.

Conclusions:

• Current 3D virtual organ visualization lacks true realism due to interdisciplinary challenges and validation complexities.
• Advancements in computational power and automated pipelines promise enhanced future medical 3D visualization fidelity.