The group, led by Ming Li, PhD, developed the AR application using computer and AR programming software. The application allows clinicians to display their planned needle trajectory in real-time using a smartphone (iPhone 7, Apple).
The researchers tested their AR application on a phantom containing multiple target beads embedded as deep as 16 cm, as well as a reference marker registered to the phantom's preprocedural CT scan. Two interventional radiologists performed three needle insertions on the phantom using the AR application for image guidance and the traditional CT-guided method.
Overall, AR guidance led to statistically significant reductions in procedure time, compared with traditional CT guidance (p < 0.05). In addition, the AR method did not require the acquisition of CT scans.
The findings show that AR-guided needle insertion with a smartphone could help reduce patient radiation exposure and procedural time, Li and colleagues noted. The AR method may also be a viable option for guiding percutaneous procedures when conventional real-time imaging is not available.
