How 3D Visualizations are Revolutionizing Cancer Diagnosis and Surgeries

3D technology has been changing the world of entertainment, technology and medicine for years. When it comes to the use of 3D technology in medicine, the most popular and well-known practice is the creation of personalized prostheses using 3D printers. This is an amazing thing that changes people's lives for the better. There are many more ways to use this technology and each year brings new of them. Each of them revolutionizes various fields, but medicine in which 3D technology occupies a special place deserves special mention – it managed to save many lives.

What and where 3D visualization is used?

One of the ways to use this technology is 3D visualization. This tool is used on various fields of medicine – from orthopedics, through cardiology, to oncology. Its use in oncology allows for the creation of images that are characterized by better sharpness and accuracy than those obtained during traditional imaging examinations (ultrasound, X-ray, tomography). It guarantees both the patient and the doctor an insight into the inside of the body and allows to see it from every possible angle. This is especially helpful for tumors. Close observation of the tumor from all sides can help the doctor better identify the risks it poses and thus develop the best possible way to remove or treat it.

Case study of Pamela Scott

In the case of Pamela Scott, who is a family psychotherapist living in the USA, a 3D image ended up saving her eyesight. In summer of 2013 she started having severe headaches. The first MRI scan showed a tumor located behind her left eye. It had very little detail, and a lot of approximations had to be made. Because of the size of this tumor, that seemed to be small, the medical team decided it was best not to operate. Pamela’s husband, Michael Balzer, an independent 3D graphic designer, wasn’t satisfied by the diagnosis and took this matter into his own hands. He sent all the DICOM files to other doctors and most of them said the immediate operation is needed. When she went in for a secondary scan a few weeks later, the tumor seemed to show significant and alarming growth, which could have been detrimental. However, her husband decided to put the scan through a 3D visualizing program and printed out the results. This detailed visual revealed that the tumor had not grown since the first scan. It turned out that the two scans showed the tumor from two different angles and therefore its size had previously been miscalculated. The 3D model confirmed that the tumor was pressing on nerves, and if left unoperated, it would eventually have led to a loss of eyesight. Thanks to the visualization, the surgeons were able to go ahead with minimally invasive and risky surgery to remove the tumor and save Pamela’s eyesight.

What are the advances of 3D visualization?

Such visualizations allow surgeons to better understand what they will be operating on and decide ahead of time how exactly they will do it. In some cases, it can significantly cut down operation risks and time (it cut down Pamela’s operation time from 12 hours to 8). These images can prove to be a very valuable second opinion when it comes to tumors and their treatment. They reduce the risk of misreading a scan, and therefore misdiagnosing a tumor. They empower and educate patients, and work as extra diagnostic tools that can help out doctors.