The
holomer (HOLO-graphic
M-edical E-lectronic R-epresentation)
is a three dimensional holographic digital image of a specific person,
derived from a CT scan, MRI, ultrasound or other modality. Physicians
will be able to interact with the holomer as if it were the patients
themselves. Soon, every patient will have their own unique holomer, containing
not only anatomically precise information, but also physiologic, biologic,
genetic, demographic and other information contained within the image.
For diagnosis, all the relevant data about the patient can be retrieved
in the form of a visual medical record. Individual virtual organs can
be “flown
through”, as is done with a virtual colonoscopy today.
If a disease is found, the holomer becomes a patient specific educational
tool, demonstrating to the patient exactly what their own problem is.
In therapeutics, if a complex surgical procedure is required, the holomer
can be used for pre-operative planning (as is already used for complex
orthopedic, neuo- and craniofacial surgery), selecting the best surgical
approach for that patient. Using surgical simulation, the surgeon can
practice the procedure on the holomer, until a “perfect” operation
is obtained. During surgery, the image can be used with “data fusion” to
overlay the organ (called augmented virtual reality) with an image of
the internal structures (blood vessels, bile ducts, etc.) for intraoperative
stereotactic navigation. Comparing the preoperative image with the postoperative
image, and using data fusion and digital subtraction, results in the
difference as automatic outcomes analysis. For education, training and
ultimately certification, rare pathologies or congenital anomalies can
be used in virtual reality surgical simulators. Thus, the entire spectrum of health care can be enhanced with the use of the holomer. We do not have to wait for the holographic displays, we can begin the journey using current day 3-D images on computer monitors. Clearly, the future direction lies in cyberspace. Back to Project Showcase