Images and models for Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery (VATS) – VATSop

The project deals about augmented reality assistance for the localization of pulmonary nodules during Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). In order to avoid preoperative invasive localization procedures, we propose to guide the VATS using only Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) intraoperative images acquired during the surgical procedure, and to superimpose on the video screen the nodule model estimated on CBCT. But the insertion of the endoscopic tools induces the collapse of the lung (known as pneumothorax) that results to high deformations of the lung. The main idea of the project is to build, according to the preoperative CT data, a bio-mechanical model of the lung which will allow us to simulate the effect of the lung collapse. This model is then coupled to intraoperative CBCT images to integrate the lung deformation and so predict the displacement of the nodule during the procedure. This information is then provided to the surgeon by augmented reality.