Technology Developments for the Image-Guided Suite of the Future

Minimally invasive procedures continue to increase in popularity because of the reduced trauma to the patient, shorter recovery times, and lower total costs. These procedures are often performed in an image-guided suite, where the physician uses x-ray imaging to look inside the body and manipulates surgical instruments through small openings. Since these procedures can be difficult, even for highly trained physicians, biomedical engineers need to develop appropriate technology to assist the physician in this environment. The goal of this concept paper is to present some relevant technology developments for the image-guided suite of the future, with a focus on the Interventional Radiology environment. The aim is to encourage open standards and open software as a means to leverage technical developments and create a "plug and play" environment where software and hardware components can be interchanged. These developments are aimed at providing better patient care with more consistent results and fewer medical errors.