Computer Aided Surgery Based on Virtual Endoscopy

Abstract

In this paper, we describe computer aided surgery based on virtual endoscopy. Virtualized endoscope system (VES) can visualize 3D medical images such as CT or MRI images and generate virtual endoscopic views. Since 3D virtual images generated using VES help to intuitively understand 3D anatomical structures, VES is widely used as a tool for assisting surgery. We have been studied computer aided surgery based on VES. This paper presents several applications of VES to surgical assistance such as laparoscopic surgery, neurosurgery, and robotic surgery.