Indocyanine Green Angiography Visualized by Augmented Reality in Aneurysm Surgery.

OBJECTIVE

We prospectively investigated how to integrate indocyanine green (ICG) angiography in an augmented reality (AR) setting for aneurysm surgery.

METHODS

In 20 patients with a total of 22 aneurysms, the head-up display of the operating microscope (Kinevo900) was used for AR. ICG-AR was established directly by the head-up display superimposing the ICG angiography as green live video overlay. In addition, the reconstructed outline of the three-dimensional (3D) vessel architecture was visualized by AR applying intraoperative low-dose computed tomography (vessel-AR).

RESULTS

In all patients, ICG-AR and vessel-AR were successfully implemented. The flow in the vessels could be observed directly in the white light view of the microscope oculars without being distracted from the surgical site by looking on separate screens. This factor enabled also surgical manipulation during ICG angiography. In parallel, AR additionally visualized the 3D vessel architecture, enhancing the understanding of the 3D anatomy (target registration error, 0.71 ± 0.21 mm; intraoperative low-dose computed tomography effective dose, 42.7 μSv). Linear (n = 28; range, 1-8.5 mm) and rotational (n = 3; range, 2.9°-14.4°) navigation adjustments performed in 18 of 20 patients resulted in a close matching of the vessel-AR outline with the real vessel situation after preparation, compensating for shifting.

CONCLUSIONS

ICG-AR could be successfully implemented. It facilitated surgical manipulation and flow interpretation during ICG angiography because it could be observed directly while looking through the microscope oculars in white light instead of being distracted from the surgical site while looking on separate screens. Additional AR visualizing the vessel architecture improved understanding of 3D anatomy for preparation and clipping.