Augmented visualisation in the treatment of the liver tumours with radiofrequency ablation

Abstract

In medicine, the augmented reality technology allows surgeons to have a sort of ‘X-ray’ vision of the patient’s body and can help them during the surgical procedures. This paper describes an application of augmented reality that could be used as a support for a more accurate preoperative surgical planning and also for an image-guided procedure. Augmented reality can support the surgeon during the needle insertion in the treatment of liver tumours with the radiofrequency ablation in order to guide the needle and to have an accurate placement of the surgical instrument within the lesion. The augmented visualisation can prevent as much as possible damages to the healthy cells of the liver.

Keywords:

• Augmented reality
• radiofrequency ablation
• image-guided surgery