By Amadeo Constanzo
3D imaging technology adopted from other
industries (such as gaming and entertainment) is becoming a real game changer
in medicine. The new 3D tools import MRI or CT scans and render these images
into virtual 3D images, allowing the surgeons to plan in great detail before
cutting open the patient. There have also been advances in 3D imaging in
endoscopic surgery where the 3D images guide the surgeon in real-time to perform the surgery
with greater precision.
Dr. James Chandler and Dr. Orin Bloch,
neurosurgeons at Northwestern University, have started using such 3D endoscopic
systems to more precisely remove brain tumors in patients. The 3D
technology allows the surgeon to see more vividly, enabling them to remove all
traces of the tumor and less non-cancerous tissue. The precision allows
for less cutting and therefore, a speedier recovery for the patient after
surgery. More importantly, the added precision is crucial in lowering the
known risks in brain surgery – coma, vision loss, and loss of speech.
For breast cancer patients, 3D imaging technology
is beginning to improve detection and post-surgery outcome. With traditional mammogram, tumors in hidden
shadows are often undetected. “The problem of overlapping shadows has
confounded breast cancer screening because mammograms don’t show cancers that
are hidden by overlapping tissue,” says Dr. Kyle Myers, Director of FDA’s Division
of Imaging, Diagnostics, and Software Reliability. The newer technologies
of 3D breast tomosynthesis and 3D ultrasound and breast computerized tomography
would enable the doctor to see the tumors in these hidden areas. Two of the new technology have already been approved by the FDA,
the GE Healthcare SenoClaire
and the Selenia Dimensions 3D System.
Even without expensive 3D imaging systems, some
tech savvy doctors are exploring the use of consumer 3D technology to improve
surgery outcomes. Take the case of a pediatric cardiologist, Dr. Redmond
Burke of Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, who used Google Cardboard to
successfully operate on a baby, Teegan Lexcen, with an abnormal heart.
Dr. Burke used an app called Sketchfab to render the baby’s CT
scans into 3D visuals on the iPhone. With the iPhone and Google
Cardboard, he visualized the surgery in virtual reality.
“I think about heart repairs in three dimensions,”
said Dr. Burke. 3D imaging sure makes that easier.
Other doctors had already concluded that Teegan
was inoperable but 3D imaging enabled Dr. Burke to successfully operate on
Teegan by allowing him to plan out every incision and every step of the surgery
in 3D. This decreased the amount of time
the infant stayed cut opened and it was crucial because the more time spent in
heart surgery for a baby, the higher the chances of heart and brain damage.
Despite the many reported cases of 3D imaging technology
producing favorable results, more studies will need to be done to
quantitatively confirm surgery success rates from the implementation of 3D
imaging technology. However, it all looks very promising from what we’ve seen
so far.
More information on health and medicine (based on reliable
sources) is available at - http://spirfit.org/Academy/#medicine
Copyright: © 2016. This document is the sole property of Amadeo Constanzo. You may freely post this article without charge if and only if you include this entire copyright notice including the following links. Other free teachings from Amadeo Constanzo can be found at SpirFit.org and http://www.facebook.com/pages/SpirFit/141881909215772
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