Intra-operative 3D hologram support with mixed reality technique based on CT-MRI fusion images: operation guidance for brain brachytherapy

Augmented reality in brachytherapy: A narrative review

Brachytherapy (BRT) plays a pivotal role in the treatment of tumors, offering precise radiation therapy directly to the affected area. However, this technique demands extensive training and skills development, posing challenges for widespread adoption and ensuring patient safety. This narrative review explored the utilization of augmented reality (AR) in BRT, seeking to summarize existing evidence, discuss key findings, limitations, and quality of research as well as outline future research directions. The review revealed promising findings regarding the integration of AR in BRT. Studies have suggested the feasibility and potential benefits of AR in education, training, intra-operative guidance, and treatment planning. However, the evidence remains limited and heterogeneous, with most studies in preliminary phases. Standardization, prospective clinical trials, patient-centered outcomes assessment, and cost-effectiveness analysis emerge as critical areas for future research. Augmented reality holds transformative potential for BRT by enhancing precision, safety, and training efficiency. To fully implement these benefits, the field requires standardized protocols, rigorous clinical trials, and in-depth patient-centered investigations. Policy-makers and healthcare providers should closely monitor developments in AR and consider its implementation in clinical practice, contingent and robust evidence, and cost-effectiveness analysis. The pro-active pursuit of evidence-based practices will contribute to optimizing patient care in BRT.

Monte Carlo-based optimization of glioma capsule design for enhanced brachytherapy

The use of radiotherapy in tumor treatment has become increasingly prominent and has emerged as one of the main tools for treating malignant tumors. Current radiation therapy for glioma employs 125I seeds for brachytherapy, which cannot be combined with radiotherapy and chemotherapy. To address this limitation, this paper proposes a dual-microcavity capsule structure that integrates radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The Monte Carlo simulation method is used to simulate the structure of the dual-microcavity capsule with a 125I liquid radioactive source. Based on the simulation results, two kinds of dual-microcavity capsule structures are optimized, and the optimized dual-microcavity capsule structure is obtained. Finally, the dosimetric parameters of the two optimized dual-microcavity capsule structures are analyzed and compared with those of other 125I seeds. The optimization tests show that the improved dual-capsule dual-microcavity structure is more effective than the single-capsule dual-microcavity structure. At an activity of 5 mCi, the average absorbed dose rate is 71.2 cGy/h in the center of the optimized dual-capsule dual-microcavity structure and 45.8 cGy/h in the center of the optimized single-capsule dual-microcavity structure. Although the radial dose function and anisotropy function exhibite variations from the data of other 125I seeds, they are generally similar. The absorbed dose rate decreases exponentially with increasing distance from the center of the capsule, which can reduce the damage to the surrounding tissues and organs while increasing the dose. The capsule structure has a better irradiation effect than conventional 125I seeds and can accomplish long-term, stable, low-dose continuous irradiation to form local high-dose radiation therapy for glioma.

Advances and Innovations in Ablative Head and Neck Oncologic Surgery Using Mixed Reality Technologies in Personalized Medicine

The benefit of computer-assisted planning in head and neck ablative and reconstructive surgery has been extensively documented over the last decade. This approach has been proven to offer a more secure surgical procedure. In the treatment of cancer of the head and neck, computer-assisted surgery can be used to visualize and estimate the location and extent of the tumor mass. Nowadays, some software tools even allow the visualization of the structures of interest in a mixed reality environment. However, the precise integration of mixed reality systems into a daily clinical routine is still a challenge. To date, this technology is not yet fully integrated into clinical settings such as the tumor board, surgical planning for head and neck tumors, or medical and surgical education. As a consequence, the handling of these systems is still of an experimental nature, and decision-making based on the presented data is not yet widely used. The aim of this paper is to present a novel, user-friendly 3D planning and mixed reality software and its potential application for ablative and reconstructive head and neck surgery.