Orthopedic surgery addresses conditions of the musculoskeletal system to alleviate pain, restore function, and enhance the patient’s quality of life. Its success relies on meticulous pre-operative planning that incorporates clinical data and patient-specific imaging to develop precise surgical strategies. These procedures often demand accurate implant placement, such as screws and other fixation materials. However, the absence of advanced pre-operative tools frequently forces surgeons to determine implant positions during the operation, increasing the risk of errors.

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cirurgia ortopédica

Publication type: Article Summary
Original title: A 3D computed tomography based tool for orthopedic surgery planning
Article publication date: 2015
Source: Repositório da Universidade do Minho
Authors: João Ribeiro, Victor Alves, Sara Silva & Jaime Campos

What is the goal, target audience, and areas of digital health it addresses?
     This research aims to develop a solution to improve the planning of orthopedic surgeries, creating a 3D environment from Computed Tomography (CT) exams, where surgeons can add digital representations of physical implants, simulating the surgical procedure. The target audience includes orthopedic surgeons and other healthcare professionals involved in pre-operative planning and surgical procedures. The project focuses on areas of digital health, such as medical imaging and surgical planning tools.

What is the context?
     Orthopedic surgery addresses conditions of the musculoskeletal system to alleviate pain, restore function, and enhance the patient’s quality of life. Its success relies on meticulous pre-operative planning that incorporates clinical data and patient-specific imaging to develop precise surgical strategies. These procedures often demand accurate implant placement, such as screws and other fixation materials. However, the absence of advanced pre-operative tools frequently forces surgeons to determine implant positions during the operation, increasing the risk of errors.

     OsiriX is a medical imaging software designed for viewing and analyzing DICOM files (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine), the standard format for storing and sharing medical images such as CT scans, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, and X-rays. This software has a user-friendly platform for exploring patient anatomy in detail, offering versatile 2D and 3D visualization capabilities. OsiriX also enables seamless access to medical imaging databases in hospitals and clinics and supports plugins, allowing the creation of specialized tools tailored to specific medical applications.

What are the current approaches?
     Currently, there are computer-assisted orthopedic surgery solutions available, but most rely on 2D imaging or have limited 3D modeling capabilities. Tools based on 2D imaging, such as X-rays, lack interactivity and fail to provide detailed and realistic visualizations of anatomical structures. Even tools with 3D capabilities often lack the flexibility to independently manipulate components or accurately visualize how implants fit within the patient. Some tools even use voxel-based 3D models from CT scans but do not incorporate vector-based implant models due to structural differences in the type of images: voxels use cubes to represent anatomy, while vectors use triangles for precise implant designs. Additionally, some solutions require external engineers to create or adjust surgical plans, which reduces surgeons’ autonomy.

What does innovation consist of? How is the impact of this study assessed?
     Building on the foundational capabilities of OsiriX, the OrthoMED plugin was created as an innovative solution for planning orthopedic surgeries by allowing the seamless integration of voxel-based 3D models from CT scans, with vector-based implant models in a user-friendly 3D environment.

     The plugin uses advanced algorithms, including the marching cubes’ algorithm, to create precise 3D representations of a patient’s anatomy from CT scans by analyzing tissue density. Then, the plugin enables surgeons to add, adjust, and analyze implants in real-time, offering tools to rotate, zoom, and slice through 3D models for detailed cross-sectional and 2D analysis, ensuring a clear understanding of how implants will fit within the body. Additional features, such as transparency adjustments, enhance the visualization of internal structures, while the capability to generate comprehensive surgical reports ensures the entire surgical team has all the necessary information. OrthoMED does not require external support.

     The impact of this technology is assessed by its ability to provide a more detailed and accurate pre-operative plan.

What is the main result? What is the impact of OrthoMED? What is the future of this technology?
     The study successfully developed OrthoMED, a plugin for OsiriX that allows surgeons to interactively manipulate CT scan 3D models and surgical implant models in a unified environment. It enables precise, independent surgery planning with real-time adjustments and detailed 2D and 3D analysis. By supporting standard implant file formats and enabling comprehensive surgical reports, OrthoMED improves decision-making, preparation, and communication, making it a versatile tool for orthopedic surgery planning.

     The future of OrthoMED includes adding other advanced algorithms, such as image segmentation, to identify and manipulate specific structures like bone fragments. The plugin could also improve the user interface to make the tool even more intuitive.

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Home / Publications / Publication

cirurgia ortopédica

Publication type: Article Summary
Original title: A 3D computed tomography based tool for orthopedic surgery planning
Article publication date: 2015
Source: Repositório da Universidade do Minho
Authors: João Ribeiro, Victor Alves, Sara Silva & Jaime Campos

What is the goal, target audience, and areas of digital health it addresses?
     This research aims to develop a solution to improve the planning of orthopedic surgeries, creating a 3D environment from Computed Tomography (CT) exams, where surgeons can add digital representations of physical implants, simulating the surgical procedure. The target audience includes orthopedic surgeons and other healthcare professionals involved in pre-operative planning and surgical procedures. The project focuses on areas of digital health, such as medical imaging and surgical planning tools.

What is the context?
     Orthopedic surgery addresses conditions of the musculoskeletal system to alleviate pain, restore function, and enhance the patient’s quality of life. Its success relies on meticulous pre-operative planning that incorporates clinical data and patient-specific imaging to develop precise surgical strategies. These procedures often demand accurate implant placement, such as screws and other fixation materials. However, the absence of advanced pre-operative tools frequently forces surgeons to determine implant positions during the operation, increasing the risk of errors.

     OsiriX is a medical imaging software designed for viewing and analyzing DICOM files (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine), the standard format for storing and sharing medical images such as CT scans, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, and X-rays. This software has a user-friendly platform for exploring patient anatomy in detail, offering versatile 2D and 3D visualization capabilities. OsiriX also enables seamless access to medical imaging databases in hospitals and clinics and supports plugins, allowing the creation of specialized tools tailored to specific medical applications.

What are the current approaches?
     Currently, there are computer-assisted orthopedic surgery solutions available, but most rely on 2D imaging or have limited 3D modeling capabilities. Tools based on 2D imaging, such as X-rays, lack interactivity and fail to provide detailed and realistic visualizations of anatomical structures. Even tools with 3D capabilities often lack the flexibility to independently manipulate components or accurately visualize how implants fit within the patient. Some tools even use voxel-based 3D models from CT scans but do not incorporate vector-based implant models due to structural differences in the type of images: voxels use cubes to represent anatomy, while vectors use triangles for precise implant designs. Additionally, some solutions require external engineers to create or adjust surgical plans, which reduces surgeons’ autonomy.

What does innovation consist of? How is the impact of this study assessed?
     Building on the foundational capabilities of OsiriX, the OrthoMED plugin was created as an innovative solution for planning orthopedic surgeries by allowing the seamless integration of voxel-based 3D models from CT scans, with vector-based implant models in a user-friendly 3D environment.

     The plugin uses advanced algorithms, including the marching cubes’ algorithm, to create precise 3D representations of a patient’s anatomy from CT scans by analyzing tissue density. Then, the plugin enables surgeons to add, adjust, and analyze implants in real-time, offering tools to rotate, zoom, and slice through 3D models for detailed cross-sectional and 2D analysis, ensuring a clear understanding of how implants will fit within the body. Additional features, such as transparency adjustments, enhance the visualization of internal structures, while the capability to generate comprehensive surgical reports ensures the entire surgical team has all the necessary information. OrthoMED does not require external support.

     The impact of this technology is assessed by its ability to provide a more detailed and accurate pre-operative plan.

What is the main result? What is the impact of OrthoMED? What is the future of this technology?
     The study successfully developed OrthoMED, a plugin for OsiriX that allows surgeons to interactively manipulate CT scan 3D models and surgical implant models in a unified environment. It enables precise, independent surgery planning with real-time adjustments and detailed 2D and 3D analysis. By supporting standard implant file formats and enabling comprehensive surgical reports, OrthoMED improves decision-making, preparation, and communication, making it a versatile tool for orthopedic surgery planning.

     The future of OrthoMED includes adding other advanced algorithms, such as image segmentation, to identify and manipulate specific structures like bone fragments. The plugin could also improve the user interface to make the tool even more intuitive.

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