OR Imaging 2.0

“The OR of the future will incorporate multimodality imaging,” predicted Ferenc Jolesz, MD, vice chairman for research in the department of radiology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. Image guidance improves conventional surgical procedures by enhancing the eye with multimodality imaging and replacing the hand with image controlled devices such as robots or probes.
    
Most current OR imaging suites focus on a single modality or single procedure; however, single modality imaging no longer suffices because it may not provide optimal solutions for many imaging tasks. In addition, surgical planning is often based on multimodal platforms. Bringing those platforms to the OR could improve sensitivity and specificity.

Jolesz shared progress toward the OR of the future during a Dec. 3 RSNA educational session. Brigham’s expects to unveil AMIGO (Advanced Multi-modality Image-Guided OR) in the summer of 2009. The futuristic OR will incorporate 3T MRI, 64-slice PET/CT, optical imaging and ultrasound in a three-room, 5,700 square foot interventional suite. “AMIGO brings genuine multidisciplinary imaging to the OR, and it introduces molecular imaging to the OR,” said Jolesz.    
    
Initial image guided therapy applications include neurosurgery, breast, prostate and cardiac interventions. The AMIGO suite will further develop and refine multimodality imaging and is expected to result in increased surgical accuracy and improve tumor resection. The patient benefits are significant. “Surgical procedures could be minimally invasive or non-invasive, making procedures safer and reducing complications,” Jolesz suggested.

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