Catheter insertion simulation with co-registered direct volume rendering and haptic feedback

We have developed an experimental catheter insertion simulation system supporting head-tracked stereoscopic viewing of volumetric anatomic reconstructions registered with direct haptic 3D interaction. The system takes as input data acquired with standard medical imaging modalities and regards it as a visual and haptic environment whose parameters are interactively defined using look-up tables. The system's display, positioned like a surgical table, provide a realistic impression of looking down at the patient. Measuring head motion via a six degrees-of-freedom head tracker, good positions to observe the anatomy and identify the catheter insertion point are quickly established with simple head motion. By generating appropriate stereoscopic images and co-registering physical and virtual spaces beforehand, volumes appear at fixed physical positions and it is possible to control catheter insertion via direct interaction with a PHANToM haptic device. During the insertion procedure, the system provides perception of the effort of penetration and deviation inside the traversed tissues. Semi-transparent volumetric rendering augments the sensory feedback with the visual indication of the inserted catheter position inside the body.

@InCollection{ZGZT00c,
  author       = {Zorcolo, A. and Gobbetti, E. and Zanetti, G. and Tuveri, M.},
  title        = {Catheter insertion simulation with co-registered direct volume rendering and haptic feedback},
  booktitle    = {Medicine Meets Virtual Reality 2000 -- Envisioning Healing: Interactive Technology and the Patient-Practioner Dialogue},
  pages        = {96--98},
  month        = {january},
  year         = {2000},
  editor       = {J. D. Westwood and H. M. Hoffman and G. T. Mogel and R. A. Robb and D. Stredney},
  publisher    = {IOS},
  address      = {Amsterdam, The Netherlands},
  note         = {isbn: 1-58603-014-0     idxproject: VIVA},
  type         = {incollection},
  url          = {https://publications.crs4.it/pubdocs/2000/ZGZT00c},
}