Virtual and augmented reality

With Virtual Reality (VR), ordinary, black-and-white CT and MRI scans are turned into colorful 3-dimensional objects and patients can “fly through” their own skull or brain to get a sense of what is wrong, why they need surgery, and how surgery would work. VR also lets surgeons rehearse various operations to test out which one is most effective or least risky.

Augmented reality (AR) takes this further. Surgical targets, or vulnerable brain structures that are “no fly zones” during operations, are projected into the operative microscope. This lets surgeons perform operations with superman-like “X ray vision” to see through where they should or shouldn’t be.

Dr. Jean is one of the pioneers in this field, and he uses VR/AR to improve patients’ understanding of their problem and achieve the best surgical outcome.