The Vasculens - Projector-Based Augmented Reality Display of Anatomical Structures Segmented from Pre-Operative CT Scans

Abstract

Augmented reality technologies can improve surgical navigation. These augmented reality technologies promise to improve both the safety and efficiency of operations. The Vasculens is a novel handsfree and focus free projector-based augmented reality system that works by projecting segmented preoperative CT scan data directly onto a patient. The Vasculens is designed to help surgeons visualize vascular anatomy during free flap harvesting surgeries. One example of a free flap is a deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap that is harvested to create a new breast mound after mastectomy.

This paper reports the reprojection accuracy of the Vasculens. In brief, 25 metal fiducials were placed on the torso of a life-sized mannequin, the mannequins were scanned in a CT scanner, the metal fiducials were segmented, and the Vasculens was used to project the expected location of the metal fiducials onto the mannequins. The reprojection accuracy was defined as the mean of the absolute distance between the location of the metal fiducial and the projected fiducial location. The mean reprojection error for the female mannequin was 0.6 mm for the male mannequin was 0.2 mm. These accuracy results support the conclusion that the Vasculens is a promising technology for improving DIEP flap breast reconstruction surgery and other free flap surgeries.