Ricerc@Sapienza

Computer-aided surgical simulation and student's training progressed significantly in the last decade. At the same time, the development augmented reality devices allow physicians to incorporate data visualization into diagnostic and treatment procedures to improve work efficiency, safety, and cost and to enhance surgical training. Careful planning is of great importance in order to limit the damage to healthy tissue during surgery. In particular, accurate modelling of the mechanical behavior of the tissues is required. To achieve accurate representation of various organs and or anatomical districts, various techniques were proposed in order to reconstruct the morphological properties of such elements. Currently, many surgical procedures on human patients are not simulated yet can be relevant in minimally invasive surgeries to protect human health and to save human lives, particularly for surgeries with high accuracy requirements. An accurate 3D anatomical reconstruction necessarily starts from MRI or CT acquired details of the patients, through imaging segmentation and proper stacking and smoothing of adjacent slices. More particularly, to gain accurate models suitable for computer-aided surgical tools, many problems must be faced. In particular: a) free form surface modelling starting from MRI or CT scans; b) tissue constitutive material. In this research we aim to investigate these topics to enhance physical description of organs subjected to surgical operations. Therefore, this project would provide an analysis of different modeling techniques. The results will be valuated from multidisciplinary unit, namely the bioengineers and surgeons involved in the research.