Augmented Reality System Guidance for Computed Tomography-based Needle Insertion: A Narrative Review

Abstract

The new advancement in percutaneous intervention procedures, which provides more accurate needle placement compared to other modalities, is Augmented Reality (AR). It provides the operator with 3-dimensional (3D) or 2-dimensional (2D) structures of the anatomy along with the target during surgery to get a precise needle placement into the target. The review highlights that using AR systems for needle navigation and placement can become productivity in various interventional procedures. The AR navigation system reduces radiation exposure, procedural time, risk to the patient, and ensures higher accuracy of needle placement than conventional Computed Tomography (CT)-guided percutaneous procedure systems. The AR system can provide precisely guided needle insertion and reduce the risk of complications. As technology and research are increasing, new techniques, such as automatic image-hologram registration, can be brought into the picture. This review compares conventional image-guided procedure systems with the AR system in the interventional radiology field. This review also provides detailed information about AR as a promising tool for optimising needle placement in interventional procedures, paving the way for safer and more effective clinical practices.

Keywords

• bull’s eye view mode
• hololens
• vergence-accommodation conflict