Computer-assisted interventions

Introduction

Computer assisted interventions (CAI) is a field of research and practice, where medical interventions are supported by computer based tools and methodologies. Examples include:

• Medical robotics
• Surgical and interventional navigation
• Imaging and image processing methods for CAI
• Clinical feasibility studies of computer enhanced interventions
• Tracked and guided biopsies
• Alignment of pre-procedure images with the patient during the procedure
• Intraoperative decision supports
• Skill analysis and workflow studies in CAI
• Clinical studies of CAI showing first-in-man or early efficacy results
• User interfaces and visualization systems for CAI
• Surgical and interventional systems
• Novel surgical devices and sensors
• User performance studies
• Validation and evaluation of CAI technology

The basic paradigm of patient-specific interventional medicine is a closed loop process, consisting of

1. combining specific information about the patient with the physician’s general knowledge to determine the patient’s condition;
2. formulating a plan of action;
3. carrying out this plan; and
4. evaluating the results.

The experience gathered over many patients may be combined to improve treatment plans and protocols for future patients. This process has existed since ancient times. Traditionally, all these steps have taken place in the physicians head. The ability of modern computer-based technology to assist humans in processing and acting on complex information will profoundly enhance this process in the 21st Century.

Methods

Medical robotics

your text here

Robotic and telerobotic interventions

your text here

Surgical and interventional navigation

your text here

Alignment of pre-procedure images with the patient during the procedure

your text here

Imaging and image processing methods for CAI

your text here

Intraoperative decision support

your text here

Surgical Process Modeling and Analysis

In order to gain an explicit and formal understanding of surgery, the field of analyses and modelling of surgical procedures has recently emerged. The challenge is to support the surgeon and the surgical procedure through the understanding of Operating Room (OR) activities, with the help of sensor- or human-based systems. Related surgical models can then be introduced into a new generation of Computer-Assisted Interventions systems to improve the management of complex multimodal information, improve surgical workflows, increase surgical efficiency and the quality of care in the OR. Models created by these different approaches may have a large impact in future surgical innovations, whether for planning, intra-operative or post-operative purposes. This idea of describing the surgical procedure as a sequence of tasks was first introduced by MacKenzie et al. (2001). and formalised in Jannin et al., 2001. . The term Surgical Process (SP) has been defined as a set of one or more linked procedures or activities that collectively realise a surgical objective within the context of an organisational structure defining functional roles and relationships. . This term is generally used to describe the steps involved in a surgical procedure. A Surgical Process Model (SPM) has been defined as a simplified pattern of an SP that reflects a predefined subset of interest of the SP in a formal or semi-formal representation (Neumuth et al., 2007). . It relates to the performance of an SP with support from a workflow management system. Related terms: Surgical workflow analysis, …

Surgical and interventional systems

your text here

Novel surgical devices and sensors

your text here

User Interface and ergonomics

your text here

Visualization systems for CAI

your text here

Validation and evaluation of CAI technology

your text here

Clinical studies of CAI showing first-in-man or early efficacy results

your text here

Clinical feasibility studies of computer enhanced interventions

your text here

Applications

your text here

Skill analysis and workflow studies in CAI

your text here

CAI related scientific societies, conferences and journals

Scientific societies

MICCAI

The international society MICCAI society represents the field of Medical image computing and Computer assisted interventions

ISCAS

The International Society for Computer Assisted Surgery (ISCAS) is a non-profit association. Its mission is to encourage all scientific and clinical advancement of computer-aided surgery and related medical interventions throughout the world. Its primary goals are:

• to promote fundamental technological and clinical research in this field,
• to foster a multidisciplinary approach and to stimulate, through congresses, symposia, seminars and other means, exchange of information and cooperation among members of the association,
• to contribute to the promotion of technology and related medical interventions developed by industries related to computer- aided surgery,
• to participate in specific educational courses for scientists, engineers, and health care professionals as well as young researchers in the field.

Its scope encompasses all fields within surgery, as well as biomedical imaging and instrumentation, and digital technology employed as an adjunct to imaging in diagnosis, therapeutics, and surgery.

International conferences

MICCAI

MICCAI organizes an annual conference and associated workshops. Proceedings for this conference are published by Springer in the Lecture Notes in Computer Science series.

IPCAI

International Conference on Information Processing in Computer-Assisted Interventions (IPCAI) encompasses the broader remit of CAI and clinical translation of computing and information processing techniques.