Right now, we don't have the technology we would need to create a full body scan that could be studied and manipulated in virtual reality, at least not in real time. An MRI scan could be uploaded into a virtual reality environment that could be manipulated and studied as needed.
Currently, VR technologies are being used in some circles as a tool to diagnose brain-related diseases and disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia and traumatic brain injury, among others.
Augmented Reality
Augmented reality is a term that has just really emerged into the VR market. Essentially, it allows you to use glasses, smartphones or other compatible technology to overlay the virtual world onto your real one. Marvel Studios released an AR app for smart devices to accompany the release of "The Avengers" in 2012.
In the medical world, augmented reality could allow medical professionals to see important case data and vital signs of their patient without ever having to look away from what they are doing.
Right now, the headsets required to create that sense of augmented reality are still fairly bulky and a little awkward to wear, but as virtual reality technology continues to advance, it stands to reason they will get smaller, more portable and easier to use on a daily basis. Right now, researchers believe they could have functional AR units within three to five years, with proper funding and support.
Virtual Surgery
The idea of a surgeon using a virtual reality interface to complete a surgery may give you pause, but it is quickly becoming one of the most efficient and useful tools in the operating room.
First, surgeons who are still in training have the option to use high-fidelity virtual reality simulators to practice techniques for the various procedures they may encounter during their career. Not only is this a fantastic tool for those who are new to the field, it also gives veteran surgeons a place where they can brush up on their skills before stepping into the OR to perform a viral procedure. A study completed in 2014 found that VR training can increase success in basic skills from 38 percent to an astonishing 88 percent.
Second, virtual reality provides more visceral and detailed feedback for procedures like laparoscopic biopsies and surgeries, where the entire procedure is completed using a camera on the end of a scope. These procedures, while usually easily completed without complication, can still benefit from the addition of virtual reality technologies.
Finally, VR equipment could potentially pave the way for noninvasive robotic surgeries and procedures. It would provide control of a small robotic device that could be either eaten or injected intravenously, then piloted by the surgeon to complete the procedure without the need for any invasive surgery.
In five years, a virtual reality mock-up of a patient, seen though a pair of augmented-reality goggles, may be commonplace in every doctor's office in the world. We'll just have to wait and anticipate the fantastic advances that are yet to come.
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