The augmented reality technology is one of the virtual reality technologies that can provide the composite images of virtual and real scene. Augmented reality technology can give more reality and visual information to user. Because of that, recently, ...
The augmented reality technology is one of the virtual reality technologies that can provide the composite images of virtual and real scene. Augmented reality technology can give more reality and visual information to user. Because of that, recently, augmented reality technology has been used in development of surgical navigation systems for various kinds of surgery. It is not an exception in the field of endoscopic skull base surgery. There are so many researches about augmented reality based surgical navigation system for skull base surgery, however, there are no researches about resolving endoscope’s narrow view problem.
In this study, we resolved endoscope’s narrow view problem through development of new surgical navigation system using augmented reality. This system is consisted of endoscope, optical tracking device and augmented reality based surgical images. The optical tracking device is used for measurement of the position and orientation of endoscope.
This system displayed the endoscopic images and preoperative reconstructed virtual 3D model from 2D medical images like as CT or MRI. The endoscopic images are located in the middle of screen, and the preoperative virtual 3D model in the outside of endoscopic images. The endoscopic images and preoperative virtual 3D model are displayed according to the movement of endoscopy.
Through the screen of this developed system, the operator can receive the expanded endoscopic images and preoperative medical images during the operation. Also, operator can intuitively identify the position or condition of affected area, whole procedure of surgery and the positions of surgical tools. So, unforeseen damages of other organs can be prevented. The augmented reality based navigation system developed in this study makes the endoscopic skull base surgery so more exactly and safely.