More than meets the eye: Augmented reality in surgical oncology

In the field of surgical oncology, there has been a desire for innovative techniques to improve tumor visualization, resection, and patient outcomes. Augmented reality (AR) technology superimposes digital content onto the real-world environment, enhancing the user's experience by blending digital and physical elements. A thorough examination of AR technology in surgical oncology has yet to be performed.

A scoping review of intraoperative AR in surgical oncology was conducted according to the guidelines and recommendations of The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analyzes Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) framework. All original articles examining the use of intraoperative AR during surgical management of cancer were included. Exclusion criteria included virtual reality applications only, preoperative use only, fluorescence, AR not specific to surgical oncology, and study design (reviews, commentaries, abstracts).

A total of 2735 articles were identified of which 83 were included. Most studies (52) were performed on animals or phantom models, while the remaining included patients. A total of 1112 intraoperative AR surgical cases were performed across the studies. The most common anatomic site was brain (20 articles), followed by liver (16), renal (9), and head and neck (8). AR was most often used for intraoperative navigation or anatomic visualization of tumors or critical structures but was also used to identify osteotomy or craniotomy planes.

AR technology has been applied across the field of surgical oncology to aid in localization and resection of tumors.