Clinical Applications of Mixed Reality and 3D Printing in Congenital Heart Disease
Understanding the anatomical features and generation of realistic three-dimensional (3D) visualization of congenital heart disease (CHD) is always challenging due to the complexity and wide spectrum of CHD. Emerging technologies, including 3D printing and mixed reality (MR), have the potential to ov...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2022-10-01
|
| Series: | Biomolecules |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2218-273X/12/11/1548 |
| _version_ | 1827647139007692800 |
|---|---|
| author | Ivan Lau Ashu Gupta Abdul Ihdayhid Zhonghua Sun |
| author_facet | Ivan Lau Ashu Gupta Abdul Ihdayhid Zhonghua Sun |
| author_sort | Ivan Lau |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Understanding the anatomical features and generation of realistic three-dimensional (3D) visualization of congenital heart disease (CHD) is always challenging due to the complexity and wide spectrum of CHD. Emerging technologies, including 3D printing and mixed reality (MR), have the potential to overcome these limitations based on 2D and 3D reconstructions of the standard DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) images. However, very little research has been conducted with regard to the clinical value of these two novel technologies in CHD. This study aims to investigate the usefulness and clinical value of MR and 3D printing in assisting diagnosis, medical education, pre-operative planning, and intraoperative guidance of CHD surgeries through evaluations from a group of cardiac specialists and physicians. Two cardiac computed tomography angiography scans that demonstrate CHD of different complexities (atrial septal defect and double outlet right ventricle) were selected and converted into 3D-printed heart models (3DPHM) and MR models. Thirty-four cardiac specialists and physicians were recruited. The results showed that the MR models were ranked as the best modality amongst the three, and were significantly better than DICOM images in demonstrating complex CHD lesions (mean difference (MD) = 0.76, <i>p</i> = 0.01), in enhancing depth perception (MD = 1.09, <i>p</i> = 0.00), in portraying spatial relationship between cardiac structures (MD = 1.15, <i>p</i> = 0.00), as a learning tool of the pathology (MD = 0.91, <i>p</i> = 0.00), and in facilitating pre-operative planning (MD = 0.87, <i>p</i> = 0.02). The 3DPHM were ranked as the best modality and significantly better than DICOM images in facilitating communication with patients (MD = 0.99, <i>p</i> = 0.00). In conclusion, both MR models and 3DPHM have their own strengths in different aspects, and they are superior to standard DICOM images in the visualization and management of CHD. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T19:15:01Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3fd9f922a46e4de4946000013e2d24ba |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2218-273X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T19:15:01Z |
| publishDate | 2022-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Biomolecules |
| spelling | doaj.art-3fd9f922a46e4de4946000013e2d24ba2023-11-24T03:52:27ZengMDPI AGBiomolecules2218-273X2022-10-011211154810.3390/biom12111548Clinical Applications of Mixed Reality and 3D Printing in Congenital Heart DiseaseIvan Lau0Ashu Gupta1Abdul Ihdayhid2Zhonghua Sun3Discipline of Medical Radiation Science, Curtin Medical School, Curtin University, Perth, WA 6845, AustraliaDepartment of Medical Imaging, Fiona Stanley Hospital, Perth, WA 6150, AustraliaCurtin Medical School, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, WA 6845, AustraliaDiscipline of Medical Radiation Science, Curtin Medical School, Curtin University, Perth, WA 6845, AustraliaUnderstanding the anatomical features and generation of realistic three-dimensional (3D) visualization of congenital heart disease (CHD) is always challenging due to the complexity and wide spectrum of CHD. Emerging technologies, including 3D printing and mixed reality (MR), have the potential to overcome these limitations based on 2D and 3D reconstructions of the standard DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) images. However, very little research has been conducted with regard to the clinical value of these two novel technologies in CHD. This study aims to investigate the usefulness and clinical value of MR and 3D printing in assisting diagnosis, medical education, pre-operative planning, and intraoperative guidance of CHD surgeries through evaluations from a group of cardiac specialists and physicians. Two cardiac computed tomography angiography scans that demonstrate CHD of different complexities (atrial septal defect and double outlet right ventricle) were selected and converted into 3D-printed heart models (3DPHM) and MR models. Thirty-four cardiac specialists and physicians were recruited. The results showed that the MR models were ranked as the best modality amongst the three, and were significantly better than DICOM images in demonstrating complex CHD lesions (mean difference (MD) = 0.76, <i>p</i> = 0.01), in enhancing depth perception (MD = 1.09, <i>p</i> = 0.00), in portraying spatial relationship between cardiac structures (MD = 1.15, <i>p</i> = 0.00), as a learning tool of the pathology (MD = 0.91, <i>p</i> = 0.00), and in facilitating pre-operative planning (MD = 0.87, <i>p</i> = 0.02). The 3DPHM were ranked as the best modality and significantly better than DICOM images in facilitating communication with patients (MD = 0.99, <i>p</i> = 0.00). In conclusion, both MR models and 3DPHM have their own strengths in different aspects, and they are superior to standard DICOM images in the visualization and management of CHD.https://www.mdpi.com/2218-273X/12/11/15483D printingextended realitymixed realitycongenital heart diseasediagnosisvisualization |
| spellingShingle | Ivan Lau Ashu Gupta Abdul Ihdayhid Zhonghua Sun Clinical Applications of Mixed Reality and 3D Printing in Congenital Heart Disease Biomolecules 3D printing extended reality mixed reality congenital heart disease diagnosis visualization |
| title | Clinical Applications of Mixed Reality and 3D Printing in Congenital Heart Disease |
| title_full | Clinical Applications of Mixed Reality and 3D Printing in Congenital Heart Disease |
| title_fullStr | Clinical Applications of Mixed Reality and 3D Printing in Congenital Heart Disease |
| title_full_unstemmed | Clinical Applications of Mixed Reality and 3D Printing in Congenital Heart Disease |
| title_short | Clinical Applications of Mixed Reality and 3D Printing in Congenital Heart Disease |
| title_sort | clinical applications of mixed reality and 3d printing in congenital heart disease |
| topic | 3D printing extended reality mixed reality congenital heart disease diagnosis visualization |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2218-273X/12/11/1548 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ivanlau clinicalapplicationsofmixedrealityand3dprintingincongenitalheartdisease AT ashugupta clinicalapplicationsofmixedrealityand3dprintingincongenitalheartdisease AT abdulihdayhid clinicalapplicationsofmixedrealityand3dprintingincongenitalheartdisease AT zhonghuasun clinicalapplicationsofmixedrealityand3dprintingincongenitalheartdisease |