For any given slice you have a plane of pixels. If each of these slices is a pancake, then the volumetric rendering is basically looking at the entire stack of pancakes.
Newer VR devices like Quest 3 or Apple Vision Pro have video pass-through capabilities allowing overlay of 3D images directly onto the patient for marking or pre-operative planning
WINNER - Dr. Mark Ryan - Best of the Best in Pediatric Surgery 2025
▶Ep 16 · 0:00
clinicalVolume rendering cannot select individual structures or edit them independently↗
▶Ep 16 · 0:00
clinicalSegmentation involves selecting specific pixels for the structure of interest for each slice, allowing individual structure selection↗
▶Ep 16 · 0:00
quoteFor any given slice you have a plane of pixels. If each of these slices is a pancake, then the volumetric rendering is basically looking at the entire stack of pancakes.↗
▶Ep 16 · 0:00
clinicalVolume rendering uses light reflection and shading techniques to create the illusion of depth from stacked CT slice data↗
▶Ep 16 · 2:00
clinicalVolume rendering can be used to measure the angle of osteotomy needed on the sternum and distance of cut from manubrium for bar placement planning↗
▶Ep 16 · 2:00
clinicalVolume rendering provides very high level of detail but when two objects are similar density, it can be hard to tell them apart↗
▶Ep 16 · 2:00
clinicalSkeletal structures are fairly easy to isolate with volume rendering since they're much higher density than everything else↗
▶Ep 16 · 3:00
clinicalCreating and editing segmentation models can be very time consuming↗
▶Ep 16 · 3:00
opinionThe main advantage of volume rendering is speed - can model very rapidly even in complex cases like conjoined twins↗
▶Ep 16 · 4:00
clinicalTotal Segmentator extension for 3D Slicer can segment 106 different structures in the body within 75 seconds↗
▶Ep 16 · 4:00
clinical3D Slicer is a free program for medical imaging↗
▶Ep 16 · 4:40
clinicalCombined volume rendering and segmentation can be used to create vascular roadmaps with anatomic landmarks for planning pancreatic transection adjacent to neoplasm↗
▶Ep 16 · 5:30
clinicalThe laptop with motion capture can be connected to the OR display system for intraoperative image control↗
▶Ep 16 · 5:30
clinicalCombined imaging helped map hardware placement for a 17-year-old girl with severe pectus carinatum and was useful for communicating procedure steps with OR staff↗
▶Ep 16 · 5:30
clinicalLeap Motion motion capture device uses infrared cameras to map hand movements and can control 3D images as with a mouse↗
▶Ep 16 · 6:00
opinionLooking at images in virtual reality can be helpful for really complex problems like conjoined twins↗
▶Ep 16 · 6:00
clinicalThe ability to see depth with volume rendering images in VR makes it easier to make sense of anatomy and removes limitation to standard imaging planes↗
▶Ep 16 · 6:00
clinicalMedical Holodeck software is used for viewing VR images either individually or in collaboration with partners↗
▶Ep 16 · 6:00
clinicalNewer VR devices like Quest 3 or Apple Vision Pro have video pass-through capabilities allowing overlay of 3D images directly onto the patient for marking or pre-operative planning↗
▶Ep 16 · 6:20
quoteThe takeaway from this whole thing is that there are free or inexpensive tools available that allow you to create 3D reconstructions and apply them in a variety of ways.↗
▶Ep 16 · 6:20
clinicalSegmentations can be exported from 3D Slicer as STL files for 3D printing↗
▶Ep 16 · 6:20
clinicalConsumer grade 3D printers can print complex shapes using a variety of materials with dissolvable support materials to limit post-processing cleanup↗
▶Ep 16 · 6:20
clinical3D printing enables creation of tailored simulation tools for complex congenital problems, such as a neonatal hemothorax model created from a CT scan↗
▶Ep 16 · 7:15
clinicalProprietary systems from companies like Ethicon charge around $500 per patient or per scan↗
▶Ep 16 · 7:15
clinicalThe 3D Slicer software has been around for 10-15 years and is free↗
▶Ep 16 · 7:15
clinicalThe Medical Holodeck VR software is made by a company in Switzerland↗
▶Ep 16 · 7:15
clinicalVolume rendering can be turned around in a few minutes to create a spinning model for OR reference or communication with OR staff↗
▶Ep 16 · 7:15
clinicalThe Leap Motion device costs approximately $100↗
▶Ep 16 · 8:00
quoteI treat it more like kind of like Ratatouille, like anybody can cook. You know, it's just all all you need is to know where the buttons are at↗
▶Ep 16 · 8:40
quotethis is it needs to be approachable for anybody in any country using using any set of hardware as long as it's relatively inexpensive.↗
