Introduction: 3D reconstructions of widely available high-resolution imaging is only rarely used for
preprocedural assessment in thoracic surgery. However, it is a promising tool that aims to improve
patient-specific treatment planning. Increasingly available mixed reality hardware based on video
pass-through technology enables to project image data as a hologram onto the patient. We describe
the novel method of real-time 3D surgical planning in a mixed reality setting presenting two
representative cases.
Material and Methods: A mixed reality system was set-up using a highperformance
workstation running a video pass-through based head-mounted display. Image data of
computer tomography was imported and visually customized through live editing. The image-based
hologram was projected onto the patient highlighting the regions of interest.
Results: Two oncological
cases were selected, both presenting large tumor masses in the thoracic cavity. We aligned 3D
holographic image data onto the patient allowing us to investigate the relationship between
anatomical structures and their respective body position.
Discussion and Outlook: The exploration of
holographic overlay proved to be promising in improving preprocedural surgical planning, particularly
on complex oncological tasks in the thoracic surgery area. A pilot study on approach planning shall
therefore be conducted. Ongoing technological progresses of extended reality hardware and
intelligent software features will most likely enhance applicability and range of use in surgical fields
within the near future.