Commercial virtual reality systems were first introduced a few years ago, but these systems were bulky, requiring multiple cables connected to a heavy workstation that needed more than 500 watts of power to function, said presenter Dr. Vasileios Moustakas of Evangelismos Hospital in Athens.
"Mobility under those circumstances was out of the question," he told AuntMinnie.com.
The team modified virtual reality hardware and software to be able to support the viewing of DICOM images. The resulting system weighs only 0.7 lb and features an ultrahigh-density 550 pixels per inch (PPI) display and a quad-core 2.7-GHz central processing unit (CPU), Moustakas said.
"The [virtual reality] DICOM visualization system that we set up has the unique feature of being completely mobile [and requires] no personal computer or additional equipment of any kind or cables for power and connectivity," Moustakas said. "Using the system is like standing in front of a 175-inch megascreen, while enabling visualization at 360° around the user."
Users can scroll through images and view up to 56 at one time, according to the group. In testing, the system yielded more than 97% interobserver agreement, potentially offering an option for on-the-go image viewing that doesn't rely on the small screens of mobile devices.
Interested in learning more? Stop by this Wednesday afternoon session.
