Contact:
Raymond Schulz, Voxel 714-348-3200, [email protected]
Kay Paumier, Communications Plus 510-656-8512, [email protected]
For Immediate Release
Digital Holography Aids Neurosurgeons in Aneurysm and Spine Procedures
NEW ORLEANS, LA ñ September 26, 1997 ñ Neurosurgical specialists, reporting at the 47th annual meeting of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS) next week, will describe how the Digital Holographyô System from VoxelÆ (NASDAQ:VOXL) is helping them plan and perform complex neurosurgical procedures.
The Digital Holography System uses data routinely collected by Computed Tomography (CT) and Magnetic Resonance (MR) scanners to produce true three-dimensional images. The VoxgramÆ images are life-size, transparent holograms that literally extend out in space, enabling physicians to interact in, around and through the images as if they were real specimens of anatomy.
At the CNS, doctors will describe how Digital Holography has helped them place instrumentation accurately and quickly, and evaluate aneurysms with a minimum amount of contrast agent.
Holograms Help Surgeons Evaluate Aneurysms Without Conventional Angiography
Dr. William C. Bergman, Associate Chief of Neurosurgery and Director of Neurosurgical Research at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center (San Jose, California), investigated an alternate technique to biplane angiography for the evaluation of cerebral aneurysms. The goal was to convey more information with less invasiveness than biplane angiography requires.
Following a single injection, CT cuts were obtained and the image of the vessels manipulated on a computer. Digital holograms were created from the CT data of seven patients.
Dr. Bergman found that the ìholograms demonstrated the aneurysm from the perspective seen at surgery, and completely eliminated the confusion and obscuration created by the two-dimensional projections available from conventional angiography.î (The Use of Mouse-Manipulable 3-Dimensional Models in the Secondary Manipulation of True Holograms for the Evaluation of Circle of Willis Aneurysms, Cerebrovascular Section, Poster 137, Bergman W, Norbash A, Geil G, Schulz R, Shatsky S, Davidian M)
3-D Positional Accuracy of Digital Holograms Demonstrated Greater than 99 Percent; Predicts Accuracy of Pedicle Screw Placement via Holography
Lisa A. Fay, M.A., and Edward C. Benzel, M.D., Chief of Neurosurgery of the University of New Mexico School of Medicine and Veterans Affairs Medical Center (Albuquerque), quantitatively analyzed the accuracy of using holograms to guide the placement of instrumentation.
The researchers measured the holographic distances using an optical three-dimensional probe and a specially produced holographic ruler. For comparison, the physicians also measured the distances from a spine phantom and its respective hologram.
The doctors found was ìno statistically significant difference between the measurements and the actual dimensions.î Instead, ìthe small standard deviations and non-statistical differences suggested that the hologramÃs anatomic reconstruction was a highly accurate assessment of the true anatomic dimensions. This analysis demonstrates that the physical depth queues evoked by the transparent 3-D holographic images result in a 3-D positional accuracy virtually identical to the physical objects themselves.î The doctors concluded that holograms are ìvery useful tools for localization and placement of pedicle screws in a quick, cost-effective manner.î (A Quantitative Assessment of the Accuracy of Holographic Imaging for the Prediction of Pedicle Screw Placement, Spine Section, Poster 214, Fay LA, Benzel EC, Tessman C, Montgomery A, Perz C, Schulz R)
Other Studies
In addition to the institutions cited above, several other prominent medical institutions throughout the country have studied Digital Holography, including Massachusetts General Hospital-Harvard Medical School; ChildrenÃs Hospital of Philadelphia-University of Pennsylvania; Irvine Medical Center-University of California at Irvine; Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology-Washington University (St. Louis) and the Ryder Trauma Center-University of Miami.
The Voxel Digital Holography System was awarded FDA clearance in September 1995 and, in January 1997, Voxel was awarded patents from the U.S. Patent Office for 13 claims, including five independent claims covering the companyÃs method for making multiple-exposure holograms. The company has been notified that an existing code for reporting medical procedures (a CPT code) will be amended effective January 1, 1998, to explicitly reference holographic imaging of CT and MR data. This will provide a method by which clinicians may more accurately report, and seek reimbursement for, use of Digital Holography. Based in Laguna Hills, California, Voxel is a public company founded to develop, manufacture and market holographically based, volumetric display systems.
###
Digital Holography is a trademark and Voxel and Voxgram are registered trademarks of Voxel.
RSS